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Start
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Daereungwon Ancient Tombs
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Cheomseongdae
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Gyochon Village
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Gyeongju National Museum
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Bulguksa Temple
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Bomun Tourist Complex
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Gyeongju Tower
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Bunhwangsa Temple
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Food
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Finish
Cheomseongdae 첨성대
Not even the center of the city, if you walk a little around Gyeongju you will easily find royal tombs that's unnamed, and also are ruins that you have seen on TV.
Maybe there will be some ruins under the ground we are walking on. That's why Gyeongju City prohibits to build high buildings, which need to dig deep into the soil.
Among the areas, the places that are designated as a World Heritage Site 'Gyeongju Historic Areas' is Daereungwon district, Wolseong district, and Hwangnyongsa district. These places have largely spread grass which gives the impression of a park.
Among them, this time we decided to stop by the Cheomseongdae, the East's first astronomical observations of the sky. Cheomseongdae is located near Daereungwon district and is a landmark of United Silla and Gyeongju along with the Bulguksa Temple.
Cheomseongdae is located in close proximity to the parking lot, that it is able to be seen from the parking lot. A post sign I had met on the way to Cheomseongdae.
When I just read the title I thought there is an 'Insect Experience Center' nearby. And just even before I finished reading the content, I felt a strange feeling and turned around…
"Who ... Who are you ...?" A blue worm-shaped car came to us from a distance and stopped in front of us.
It goes round through Daereungwon parking lot and Gyerim and Kyochon town to the Silla theater of Wolseong. But because we are still young, we walked by foot, and we met this strange worm a few times more elsewhere.
Leaving behind the buprestid station, we walked about 3 minutes and we found the Cheomseongdae(National Treasure no.31) surrounded by green grass, behind the trees.
Cheomseongdae is the best Astronomical observation platform in the East, made in the era of Queen 선덕(632~647) of the United Silla. It’s height is 9.4m, made in a very scientific way. There are 12 rocks stacked on the square door in the middle of it, and 12 rocks are stacked under the door. These represents the 12 months and 24 solar terms. The number of the rocks used are approximately 360, wich is similar to the dates of an year.
There are some arguments saying the accuracy and practicality of the Cheomseongdae are low. But to my opinion, I think the Cheomseongdae has a fine beauty of the curves, even though it is made of hard bricks. Apart from the matters of functions, I think the aesthetic value of the Cheomseongdae is high.
The beauty of it under the lights in the evening is gorgeous, so we decided to visit again after we look over other tourist sites.
By the way, the Cheomseongdae used to have a bit of entry fees but it changed to a non-charge area since the 1st of January 2014, so you can enjoy it without any charges.
But the time is fixed when the lights turn on, so you should check the time before you visit.
Address : 839-1, Inwang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도 경주시인왕동 839-1)
Phone : 054-772-5134
Opening hours : 09:00 to 22:00 (winter 09:00 to 21:00)
Gyerim 계림
The two surnames that consist most of our nation is 'Kim' and 'Park'. It is not strange to say that both surnames had started from Gyeongju. It's because Bakhyeokgeose and Kim Alji's birthplace is here at Gyeongju.
The Bakhyeokgeose, the progenitor of 'Park' was born at 'Najeong', near Poseokjeong. And Kim Kim Alji which is the progenitor of 'Kim' was born at 'Gyerim', located between Cheomseongdae and Wolseong. Both places are thought to be sacred.
Especially because 'Kim Alji''s 'Kim' became Silla's royal surname, Gyerim is regarded as the home of Silla's royalty and is a meaningful place.
According to the legend of The Heritage of the Three States, there was a sound of a rooster in Gyerim forest. As people came by, there was a shining golden chest on a branch, and the king himself brought it down. And in the golden chest there was a baby boy.
The protagonist of this story says the boy's first name became 'Kim (金) 'of the golden chest, and the name 'Alji' is because he was born from an egg. And at the entrance of Gyerim, there is a Gyerim monument to celebrate, built during the Joseon Dynasty (King Sun, year three).
I don't know how it looked like in the past, but Gyerim is not that big, like a small park nowadays. But because all of trees grow in a unique way it has a different impression than any other parks.
While walking around Gyerim, there was a Eurasian Red Squirrel moving busily from this tree to that tree. Because the forest has been here for over a thousand years, maybe the nature here is living well like the squirrel in Daereungwon.
I remember that Naemulwang came out in the textbook, as an important king who built the foundation for 'Gyeongju Kim's to success the throne. At early Silla, Park/ Seok / Kim took the throne in turns, but ever since Naemulwang had been king, he made the 'Kim's to exclusively take over the throne.
Right here at the end of Gyerim, there is a Royal Tomb of Naemulwang who is the beginning of the Kim dynasty.
The old trees were dense in the forest and made great shadows that offer visitors to rest a while. Guilim has stayed as a great cultural heritage and a park with tradition to offer us many things for over a thousand years.
Address : 1, Gyo-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도 경주시 교동 1)
Banwolseong 반월성
When you pass by Gyerim, the birthplace of 'Kim Alji', you can see the low hill that is surrounded by a forest. This is the palace of Silla, Banwolseong.
Because the land is shaped like a crescent moon, it is called Sinwolseong or Wolseong. It is regarded as the area where Seok Talhae, the 4th king of Silla(another royal surname along with Kim and Park) had took over in his childhood.
The crescent moon shaped place is surrounded by a wall of trees, but the inner area is just an empty lot.
We saw and felt the relaxing sight of tourists and residents resting in the area.
If you walk Wolseong with relax, at the center you can see a structure that is built over with rocks that is not a royal tomb. This is a Stone Ice Storage, the place where ices were kept in Joseon Dynasty.
It is a simple place where a stone storage is kept in a ground hole. And it's amazing that this simple structure kept the ice well, like a refrigerator.
On the upper side of the Stone Ice Storage, there are three air holes and it is estimated to be made in the era of king Yeongjo, Joseon Dynasty.
I felt the heat coming up my body from all the walk, even it's still the end of April. But as I went in front of Stone Ice Storage, I felt the cool breeze blowing from it the Stone Ice Storage.
After cooling for a while, I came out of the Stone Ice Storage and went to the other side of Wolseong and went down the road, to find a small pond with fish.
The south of Wolseong has a small Namcheon river, so it had a natural fortification and at the east, north and west's end, it is said that they dug an artificial reservoir moat to prevent enemies.
I have come to Wolseong for a several times, but I just thought this artificial reservoir is a water-cleaning facility that is made in the modern age, I didn't know it is a moat.
I thought it would be better to have a signpost, it's a pity there isn't any.
I ask a lot of information to the local taxi drivers, and actually, I learned a bit this time.
At a taxi I had coincidently got on, I asked “I wonder which place has more things to sightsee?”.
The driver answered “I think what is important is that the cultural relic is there, and that you have felt the place together, not whether the place has many things to sightsee, isn't it?”.
And I lost what to say at that answer.
Address : 387-1, Inwang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도 경주시인왕동 387-1)
