Gyeongju Gyerim Forest (경주 계림)

13.7 Km 24780 2020-07-06

Gyo-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-779-8743

Gyerim Forest is located between the Cheomseongdae Observatory and Wolseong Fortress. The forest is thickly populated by ancient zelkova and willow trees rooted on gently sloping hills and along the small stream in the northwest part of the woods. According to legend, the forest is closely associated with myths surrounding the birth of Alji, the founder of the Gyeongju Kim clan. As such, it is designated national Historic Site No. 19.
Legend has it that King Talhae heard a rooster crying from deep inside the Sirim Woods. Chancellor Hogong was sent to investigate. Upon arriving, he found a rooster crying underneath a tree on which hung a golden box. Hogong immediately reported his find to the king, who instructed him to bring the golden box into the palace. The king opened the box and found a small child inside, Kim Alji. The forest, which had previously been called ‘Sirim’ or ‘Gurim’, became known as ‘Gyerim’, ('gye’ meaning rooster). The name Gyerim was also used to refer to the Silla kingdom.
Alji was adopted as the king’s son, but because the crown was passed on to King Pasa of the Park family, he never ascended the throne. The Kim clan later became the royal bloodline with the coronation of King Naemul some years later.
The memorial stone recording the birth of Kim Alji was erected in the third year of King Sunjo's rule in the Joseon dynasty. Located close to the royal fortress of Silla, the forest is still deeply revered as the mystical birthplace of the first ancestor of the royal Kim clan of Silla. Yellow canola blossoms along the path connecting Daereungwon with Gyerim and Banwolseong only add to the magical ambiance of the forest.

Gyeongju Wolseong Palace Site (Banwolseong Fortress) (경주 월성(반월성))

13.8 Km 25901 2023-01-03

Inwang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-10-3226-6390

This was the location of the palace-fortress during the Silla dynasty (57 BC ~ AD 935). The fortress takes after its name, which, literally translates to mean a crescent moon shape on top of a hill. The famous history books of Samgukyusa mention that Silla’s 4th King Seoktalhae (AD 57~80) thought this area was an ideal spot for the fortress and bought the land from a nobleman. The 2nd King Namhae (AD 4~24) impressed by Seoktalhae’s actions, took him in as his son-in-law, later, becoming the 4th king. The area was then under Silla’s rule for 900 years, the last king being the 56th, Gyeongsoon (AD 927~935).

Although the magnificent grandeur of the palace is now just an empty lot, it has been told that this area was filled with imperial buildings during the Silla dynasty. Currently, the region of Wolseong has a freezer made out of rocks called Seokbinggo, an archery range, a horse-riding field, and a traditional playground, which resembles the grounds of the Joseon Period (the dynasty that ruled the Korean peninsula from 1392-1910).

Sihyu Byeoldang [Korea Quality] 시휴별당[한국관광 품질인증]

13.8 Km 0 2023-05-23

15-1, Cheomseong-ro 49beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-504-0904-2575

Sihyu Byeoldang is a hanok stay near the famous Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, whose name is made up of hanja characters meaning "time," "separation," "rest," and "home." There are three types of room, spread across a sarangchae, an anchae and an annex. The sarangchae and annex have access to an outdoor swimming pool, while the anchae has an indoor bathtub. We hope the house’s warm atmosphere and the beautiful surrounding scenery will help guests feel truly rested and at home - and perhaps even that time has briefly paused.

SOSEOLJAE [Korea Quality] / 소설재(첨성대점) [한국관광 품질인증]

13.9 Km 1156 2020-09-09

46, Poseok-ro 1050beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-7357-7412

As a traditional Korean guesthouse with modern facilities but with some traditional features of a Korean house such as wooden floor and ceramic tiled roof intact, Soseoljae is located next to Cheomseongdae in Gyeongju. It also has an old well in the garden. Each guestroom is furnished with bathroom and air conditioner for the convenience of the guests. The single-story guesthouse has a total of 11 rooms that can accommodate 2-4 people depending on the size of the room. The two-story stand-alone guesthouse located right next to the main gate can accommodate six, and it has a small tea room. The guesthouse has a cafe at the entrance. It's conveniently located near Cheomseomdae, Daereungwon Ancient Tombs, and Hwangnyongsaji (Hwangnyongsa Temple Site) as well as Gyeongju Station and Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal.

Seokbinggo (Stone Ice Storage) (경주 석빙고)

13.9 Km 24923 2020-04-06

Inwang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-779-6100

Seokbinggo means a freezer made of rocks. It is an ancient refrigerator only in Korea. It is located in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Era (BC57-AD935). The appearance of this wonderful vestige is humble and simple. But you will not be disappointed at the entrance of the freezer. You can feel the cold from inside the structure. Half of Seokbinggo is underground while the other half is above ground, signifying the scientific propensity of Korea. The floor, walls, and ceiling are made of granite and have an airway. The walls are covered with limestone to keep off moisture and water. The floor is slanted to allow melted ice to funnel out. Frozen ice was popular for the upper class. From historical annals, it is assumed that Seokbinggo was made at least 1,500 years ago. Seokbbingo has been designated as National Treasure No. 66.

Hanokinn [Korea Quality] / 한옥人(한옥인) [한국관광 품질인증]

13.9 Km 3 2024-07-01

19 , Poseok-ro 1050beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-749-8090

The Hanok Inn is a hotel-class traditional guesthouse in Sansu-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which consists of 4 separate buildings. The sarangchae - a two-story hanok with a hipped roof - contains a double room and a large family room, finished with red clay and hanji paper; both rooms have toilets. The annex building is a one-storey gable-roofed hanok with a raised wooden patio where guests can drink tea and relax. In the main building there’s a hanok experience room and a friendly cafe-restaurant where breakfast is served. The hanok’s back gate gives onto an alley leading to Hwangnidan-gil, Cheomseongdae Observatory, and the Daereungwon tomb complex; this alley is a favorite photo spot.

Kolon Hotel Gyeongju (코오롱호텔)

13.9 Km 16302 2021-04-15

289-17, Bulguk-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-746-9001

Kolon Hotel Gyeongju is located in front of Bulguksa Temple, one of the world’s top ten historic sites. The building features arch-shaped fortress wall with spacious areas, designed with both traditional and modern elements. As a recuperation hotel, it houses a spa using sodium bicarbonate water, and a 9-hole public golf course. It offers a cozy ambience and sincere service with varied facilities including pleasant guestrooms viewing the sunrise of Tohamsan Mountain, sports facilities for golf, swimming, jogging and spas. It is the only premium-class hotel in Gyeongju to have hot spring spa facilities. The lobby on the third floor is famous for the lounge where people can enjoy the panoramic scenery of Tohamsan Mountain while relaxing, as well as a coffee shop serving various drinks and a luncheon over live music.

Cheomseongdae Observatory (경주 첨성대)

13.9 Km 109092 2023-07-07

140-25, Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-772-3843

Cheomseongdae Observatory, constructed during the reign of Queen Seondeok (r. 632-647), is one of the landmark of Gyeongju. The observatory was built in a cylinder shape at approximately 9 meters in x_height. The observatory consists of 365 stones, symbolizing the number of days in a year. The rocks are piled in 27 layers symbolizing the 27th ruler, Queen Seondeok, and the days in a lunar month by adding the of two rock layers on top.

Bulguksa Hanok Farm Stay [Korea Quality] / 불국사한옥팜스테이 [한국관광 품질인증]

14.0 Km 1 2022-04-06

5-52, Jinti-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-10-5489-1742

Bulguksa Hanok Farm Stay is an accommodation that offers many programs located right below Bulguksa Temple in Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. There is a total of four guest rooms. Every guest room has a bathroom and a kitchen inside. You can also cook in the rooms as they are equipped with cooking appliances such as a rice cooker, microwave, and electric stove. Ouga is a double-story unit, and the guest rooms on the first floor and the second floor are rented separately. On the first floor, there is an ondol room big enough for four people, and the ondol room on the second floor is big enough for three people and has a nice view. Both rooms have a terrace where guests can enjoy a barbecue grill. Bogyeonga also has two guest rooms that are rented separately. All of the rooms are ondol type rooms. In the Bogyeonga building, only room 1 has a double-story structure. Guests staying in the Bogyeonga building can have a barbecue grill in the terrace. A well-maintained garden is surrounding the hanok building, and there is also a 1,000-square-meter foot volleyball court in the lawn. A unique benefit of staying in Bulguksa Hanok Farm Stay is that you can participate in farming programs. You can pick apples from 400 apple trees on the farm. You can also participate in various programs themed on the food crops grown in the farm, including persimmon, quince, blueberry, lettuce, and tomato. Nearby tourist attractions include Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Bomun Tourist Complex, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, Cheomseongdae, and Woljeonggyo Bridge in Gyeongju. California Beach (water park) is also closeby.

Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival (경주벚꽃축제)

14.1 Km 62847 2023-03-20

10 , Gyerim-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-777--5951~3

Historical city of Gyeongju annually hosts the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival from late March to early April. Visitors to Gyeongju will be able to enjoy a festival that combines cherry blossoms with art and culture.

Gyeongju Gyerim Forest (경주 계림) - Area information - Korea travel information