Ipungnyeo Guro Ssambap (이풍녀구로쌈밥)

3.1 Km 42147 2024-02-23

155 Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
054-749-0600

Near the Cheomseongdae Observatory in Gyeongju, Ipungnyeo Guro Ssambap is renowned for its signature dish, Guro ssambap (leaf wraps and rice set menu). The dish is accompanied by jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste jjigae), along with a diverse array of side dishes and ten different types of vegetables for wraps. The restaurant focuses on preserving the natural flavors of the ingredients, using minimal chemical seasonings. Its commitment to providing a hearty and wholesome meal attracts numerous visitors.

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

3.1 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.

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

3.2 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.

Byeolchaeban Gyodong Ssambap (별채반 교동쌈밥)

3.2 Km 3 2023-07-12

경상북도 경주시 첨성로 77

Located in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, Byeolchaeban Gyodong Ssambap is a famous joint that has made multiple appearances on TV programs. The signature menu of this restaurant is the leaf wraps and rice, or “ssambap”, where vegetables and leaves are used to create wraps with meat, fish, and other side dishes. The restaurant offers a variety of main dishes for wrapping, such as Pork Bulgogi and Duck Bulgogi. Other dishes include the Yukbuchon Spicy Beef Soup and Gondalbi Bibimbap. This restaurant is also quite appealing for vegan diners, since leaf wraps and rice involve plenty of vegetables. Group seats and reservations are available. Cheomseongdae Observatory and Daereungwon Ancient Tombs are located nearby, making it quite easy to plan the itinerary.

Cheomseongdae Observatory (경주 첨성대)

3.3 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.

Coffee Myungga Bosque (커피명가보스케)

3.4 Km 0 2024-02-23

477-57 Yongdam-ro, Hyeongok-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Located near Seogyeongju Station, Coffee Myungga Bosque is notable for its unique and beautiful exterior, which received the Gyeongsangbuk-do Architectural Culture Award in 2020. The café's signature coffee, Myunggaccino, is renowned for its rich flavor, achieved by roasting and brewing the beans in-house. Additionally, the café offers a variety of breads, including maneulppang (garlic bread) and croissants, catering to diverse tastes.

Bunhwangsa Temple (분황사)

3.4 Km 31442 2024-02-29

94-11 Bunhwang-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Bunhwangsa Temple, located next to the ruins of Hwangnyongsa Temple in Gyeongju, was established in 634 during the Silla dynasty. Visitors can see cultural assets such as the Stone Brick Pagoda designated as a national treasure, and the Pedestal for the Stele of State Preceptor Hwajaeng registered as a Historic Site. Despite being a significant and ancient temple, much of it was lost during wars such as the Mongolia invasions and the Japanese invasions of Korea, leaving only a few buildings and temple grounds like Bogwangjeon Hall. Nearby, there is the Hwangnyongsa Museum.

Gyeongju Royal Tomb of King Naemul (경주 내물왕릉)

3.4 Km 13450 2020-04-04

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

King Naemul was the 17th monarch of the Silla Kingdom (in power from 356 to 402) and became the second king of the Kim family name. King Naemul was known as the first king to initiate the king title of ‘Maripgan’ and was known for spreading cultural advancements from China to the Korean people. When the allied forces of Baekje and Japan attacked, he asked Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo for help and led the people to victory, contributing to the increased strength of the Silla Kingdom. After his rule, the throne was exclusively ceded to members of the Kim family clan.

The royal tomb of King Naemul is a large mound (22 m in diameter and 5.3 m in x_height) that sits on the northern hill of the Confucian school of Gyeongju. The edge of a natural stone is exposed around the bottom of the mound, pointing to the fact that the inner chamber tomb was made of stone. In the historical document Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), no records are found about the tomb, but the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) describes the king’s tomb as being located in the southwest of Cheomseongdae, which is consistent with the tomb’s location.

Gyeongju Hwangnyongsa Temple Site (경주 황룡사지)

3.4 Km 21171 2021-01-29

64-19, Imhae-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-779-6100

Hwangnyongsa Temple Site is located in front of Bunhwangsa Temple in Guhang-dong, Gyeongju. During the Silla Era, the Hwangnyongsa Temple was the nation’s largest temple and housed the bulk of the country’s major Buddhist treasures.

Construction of the temple began in 553 on a field east of the royal compound under the commission of King Jinheung. The king originally planned to build a palace, but decided to build a temple instead, after receiving reports that a yellow dragon had been spotted on the building site. The temple was thus named Hwangnyongsa (Temple of Yellow Dragon) and was completed in 569, seventeen years after construction began. The temple murals featured an old pine tree drawn by Artist Solgeo. During the Silla Era, the temple was the center of state-sanctioned Buddhism.

Later, when monk Jajang was studying in China during the Tang dynasty, he came across a god as he was passing by Taihe Pond. The god said to him, “The yellow dragon, which is my eldest son, is guarding Hwangnyongsa Temple upon orders of Brahma, the Creator. If you build a nine-story pagoda upon your return to Silla, the neighboring states will surrender and pay tribute, and the royal cause will be stronger. Once the construction of the pagoda is complete, prepare a memorial service for the local gods and pardon any of the country's criminals. If you follow all I have told you, no other state will dare invade Silla.”

After this encounter, Jajang returned to Silla and convinced Queen Seondeok to build the nine-story pagoda. Master architect Abiji of the neighboring state Baekje designed the pagoda and the project was built by Yongchun and 200 men using wood and stone. The night before the columns were to be erected, Architect Abiji of Baekje dreamed of the fall of Baekje and refused to complete the project. With a peal of thunder, an old monk and a man of great strength suddenly appeared from the temple's main hall, erected the columns, and magically disappeared. Abiji was so shocked at the sight that he accepted his country’s future demise as the fate of the gods and once again restarted work on the temple. (From Samgungnyusa, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)

In the twenty-three years following the completion of the pagoda, Queen Seondeok unified the Three Kingdoms; later, numerous scholars pointed to the pagoda as a contributing factor in the unification. Of the three treasures of Silla, two were located at Hwangnyongsa Temple. The largest bell of Silla was also in the temple, but was taken away during the Mongol invasion. The highest monks of Silla preached at the temple, and many kings came to listen to the Buddhist teachings.

During excavation work in July 1969, the massive foundation stones of the sermon hall, auditorium, and pagoda were found. Eight years of archaeological excavations and studies revealed the unique layout of the temple grounds, which consisted of one pagoda and three halls; also found were 40,000 or so ancient artifacts. Though foundation stones and other structures from the bottom of the temple were identified through excavation, there are no historical clues about the temple’s upper design, making the restoration of the temple in its entirety practically impossible. The size of the temple, based on archeological findings, was about 70 acres, roughly eight times larger than that of Bulguksa Temple.

Gyeongju Gyerim Forest (경주 계림)

3.5 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.

Ipungnyeo Guro Ssambap (이풍녀구로쌈밥) - Area information - Korea travel information