Nearby

Gyeongju

city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea

35.85129.2167

Busan

metropolitan city of South Korea

35.1333333129.05

Daegu

city in Yeongnam region, South Korea

35.8667128.6

Andong

city in South Korea

36.5667128.7167

we will see

Bulguksa

South Korea
A wonderful temple well outside the main city and possibly the most impressive temple in Korea. It is regarded as a masterpiece of Buddhist art, and was built in the 8th century during the Silla Kingdom period. In front of the main prayer hall, there stand two famous stone pagodas. Dabotap means the pagoda of many treasures. Standing on the right of the courtyard facing the main hall, it shows the artistic beauty of Silla culture. In comparison to the simple Seokgatap, it is highly decorative. It was so delicately carved that they say ‘Silla masons managed stones like clay.’ Seokgatap means the pagoda of Buddha. It stands on the left of the courtyard facing the main hall. This three story pagoda is admired for its simple and dignified design. It is considered Korea’s most typical stone pagoda. Note that Seokgatap is under repair with the expected date of completion to be in December 2014. A copy of the Seokgatap can be seen at the Gyeongju National Museum.