Private Day tour Gyeongju Unesco culture area in Gyeongju city

Bulguksa Temple, located on Tohamsan Mountain in Gyeongju, was founded by Kim Dae-seong, who was the prime minister at the time, in the 10th year of King Gyeongdeok's reign (751) and completed in the 10th year of King Hyegong's reign (774). In the temple grounds, Dabotap, Seokgatap, a three-story stone pagoda, Cheongungyo and Baekungyo leading to Jahamun, and Yeonhwagyo and Chilbogyo leading to Geungnakjeon are designated as national treasures and preserved. These cultural assets provide a glimpse into the outstanding stonework skills of the Silla people at the time. In addition, many cultural assets, including the gilt-bronze Vairocana Buddha Seated in Birojeon and the gilt-bronze Amitabha Buddha Seated in Geungnakjeon, demonstrate the splendid Buddhist culture of the time. In recognition of its value, it was registered as a World Cultural Heritage along with Seokguram Grotto in December 1995.

Silla culture, was completed with advanced architectural techniques based on Buddhist thought and highly developed mathematical principles, and with an excellent sense of form. The grandeur and sublimity we feel from Seokguram Grotto is in this foundation and the harmony inherent within it. Seokguram Grotto is a visible architectural and sculptural reproduction of the moment when Sakyamuni attained enlightenment, and in terms of sculpture, it is full of vitality without artificial techniques or unnaturalness, and it stands out with mature techniques and outstanding artistry. Through the absolute state of enlightenment, the human Sakyamuni becomes the metaphysical being Sakyamuni Buddha, and the secular world becomes an ideal world called the Dharma Realm.

'Yangdong Village' is the largest traditional Hanok village and has a long history. It is a representative noble village in Korea with a history of over 500 years, with the Gyeongju Son Clan and the Yeogang Lee Clan cooperating. It is a historic village with outstanding value in various aspects, such as the size of the village, the state of preservation, the number of cultural assets, and tradition. It is said that Prince Charles of England also visited this place in 1992. 'Yangdong Village' of thatched houses under tiled houses consists of tiled houses over 500 years old and 110 thatched houses, including upper-class houses from the Joseon Dynasty. As you can see from the Joseon Dynasty's class system, the noble houses are located on high ground, and the servants' houses surround the noble houses on low ground.

It is a stone tower with a height of 9.17 m, a base diameter of 4.93 m, and an upper diameter of 2.85 m. It has a square door in the middle facing south, and is built in the shape of a round stone tower with a square shape. Each side of the square on the top points to the east, west, south, and north, and it is claimed that it contained some kind of magical or academic message. This is because the cosmology of the time was a belief that the sky was round and the earth was square, and Cheomseongdae had the opposite shape. There is also a theory that it was a structure to accurately measure the symbolism of celestial bodies and seasonal changes. Some in the Buddhist community claim that it reflects the shape of Mt. Sumeru in Buddhist cosmology. According to Buddhist scriptures, the summit of Mt. Sumeru, Doryecheon, is square.

On a large land of 126,500㎡, Daereungwon is home to 23 Silla Dynasty tombs, and there are ancient tomb ruins scattered throughout the area. It takes time to explore the inside of Daereungwon alone. The tombs to watch out for are the 13th King Michu's Tomb, the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb with various types of tombs (double tombs) that are left-handed, and Cheonmunchong Tomb that can replace the inside of the tomb. The painting of the Cheonma, which looks auspicious and cheerful as if the Jade Emperor has come down from the sky to the familiar ground where he used to walk. It is a painting of the 'Cheonma-do' that is drawn to the horse. There is also a photo zone where a magnolia tree stands between the tombs, just like a painting.

Donggung and Wolji, which are worthy of the title of the best night view in Gyeongju, may be more familiar with the name ‘Anapji’. During the Joseon Dynasty, this ruined place was called ‘Anapji’ because it was a pond with a flock of geese and ducks. Originally, this was the site of a villa where princes of the Silla Dynasty resided. Donggung and Wolji show the pinnacle of Silla’s landscaping art. Wolji, which is 200m long from east to west and 180m long from north to south, has a straight line on the southwest side, while the northeast side is a winding curve. Because of this, you can’t see the entire pond at a glance from anywhere, giving the impression of an endless sea. The ‘Imhaejeon (臨海殿)’ used as a performance hall means a pavilion overlooking the sea, so you can guess that the landscaping of the pond Wolji expresses the sea.

It was lost during the Joseon period and was restored in April 2018 after much research. According to the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), it was built in the 19th year of the reign of King Gyeongdeok of the Unified Silla period (760 AD) and served as a connection between Wolseong and Namsan in Gyeongju. Through data collection and excavation surveys for two restoration designs conducted from November 26, 1984 to September 8, 1986, it was confirmed for the first time that there was a wooden bridge, and the restoration of a bridge with a length of 66.15 m, width of 13 m, and height of 6 m was completed through construction from 2008 to 2013. Construction of two gatehouses at each end of the bridge began in April 2016 and was completed in April 2018.

Gyeongju Gyochon Village is a village with beautiful hanoks along the stone walls, and the name ‘Gyochon’ means ‘a village with a hyanggyo.’ The hyanggyo, located at the innermost part of the village, is a cradle of education that has nurtured the nation’s talents for 1,300 years since the establishment of the national school in 682. The warehouse of the richest family in Gyeongju Gyochon Village, which has been passed down for 12 generations, is known as the largest and oldest wooden granary in existence, capable of storing 800 seok of rice. This granary is a place where the family motto of ‘Make sure no one starves within 100 li’ was put into practice. It is a place where the Joseon version of ‘noblesse oblige’ was practiced, where 100 seok of rice were distributed to poor neighbors during the barley harvest or during a famine.

Hwangridan-gil is the youngest street in Gyeongju, and is a combination of Hwangnam-dong and Itaewon's Gyeongridan-gil, meaning 'Hwangnam-dong's Gyeongridan-gil'. It refers to the area of Hwangnam-dong and Sajeong-dong on both sides of the road starting from Naenam Intersection to Hwangnam Elementary School Intersection. It is a street where you can feel the old atmosphere as old buildings from the 1960s and 1970s are preserved as they are. A few years ago, young people began to gather, and cafes with a good atmosphere, cute prop shops, souvenir shops, and unique restaurants opened. In the beginning, stores were centered on the roadside, but as the outer perimeter of Hwangridan-gil expanded, unique stores began to open in every alley. It has become a must-see course for Gyeongju travelers, and it is gaining attention as a famous attraction in Gyeongju as you can visit nearby tourist attractions such as Cheomseongdae and Daereungwon.

Encounter with History and Culture Located in Gyeongju, the capital of Silla for a thousand years, the Gyeongju National Museum is a representative museum in Korea where you can see Silla’s cultural heritage at a glance. The Gyeongju National Museum operates various educational programs, including the Gyeongju Children’s Museum School with a 60-year tradition, and also has a children’s museum. We hope you will start your journey to encounter Silla’s thousand-year history and culture from the Gyeongju National Museum. Gyeongju has a long history, and since it was the capital so long ago, most of the buildings have been lost, so although there are many historical sites, there are not many spectacular sights to catch the eyes of tourists. However, most of the magnificent artifacts, such as gold crowns, are in the museum, so it is one of the tourist courses that tourists always visit when they visit Gyeongju.

in in Gyeongju, has the Gyeongbuk Forest Environment Research Institute to the west of the road and forests, paths, streams, and gardens to the east. If you follow the Metasequoia Forest Path, you will first come across the Mirror Forest. It is named after the clear stream that reflects its appearance like a mirror when you stand on the single-log bridge. Next, you will come across the fountain garden, rock garden, cloud waterfall, and Seorabeol Garden with a floor fountain, and finally the willow pond garden. Each area is planted with various trees and flowers, so each area has different spatial characteristics and you can enjoy the changes according to the season. It is easy to walk and a great place to relax in the forest, and it takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

We will drop you off at the location you left in the morning or around your accommodation.