Gyeongju with a population of 264,091 is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC – 935 AD), which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula at its height between the 7th and 9th centuries, for close to one thousand years. A vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls". Among such historical treasures, Seokguram grotto, Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas and Yangdong Folk Village are designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.The many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea.
The Bulguksa Temple (aka 'Temple of the Buddha Land') was built in the 8th century CE on the wooded slopes of Mt. Tohamsan at the ancient Silla capital of Geumseong. The Buddhist temple, after suffering a destructive fire, now stands restored but is only a fraction of its original size.
The temple was built on an earlier foundation set when the territory was controlled by the Baekje (Paekje) kingdom (18 BCE - 660 CE). The chief architect of Bulguksa is traditionally credited as Kim Dae-seong (700-774 CE), the Chief Minister or chungsi of the Unified Silla kingdom which ruled Korea from 668 to 935 CE. The period saw a great deal of Buddhist architecture spring up across Korea, but Bulguksa is widely regarded as one of the finest complexes dedicated to the official state religion of Korea.
 | . | The temple and nearby Seokguram Grotto with its huge seated Buddha statue is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. |
Gyeongju National Museum
The Gyeongju National Museum is especially important because it allows the general public, archaeologists, and historians to understand the rise of civilization in southeast Korea. The museum contains important items of national cultural heritage. It has holdings largely devoted to relics of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital.
The volume of archaeological and historical artifacts in the museum collection is so large that most of the objects cannot be displayed and are thus stored out of the view of the general public. The Gyeongju National Museum has maintained an archaeological research department for decades, and staff there have conducted numerous field surveys and excavations in North Gyeongsang Province.
