Gyeongju (경주): The Museum Without Walls

Starting in the first century B.C., the Silla Kingdom was unified for almost 1,000 years.  Gyeongju was the capital of that empire. As anyone who has visited South Korea knows, any original historic structures are rare and to be regarded as invaluable.  Between visits by the Mongols, the Japanese, the Korean War and various tensions with North Korea, any temple or statue older than 1950 is hard to find.  Thankfully, grand palaces like the one at Anapji Pond held enough history in the ground all this time to able to resurrect a city that had been all but forgotten about until the 20th century. 

Gyeongju is the perfect place to spend a weekend, but since it is the museum without walls, any time outside of winter is ideal.  In two days we definitely couldn't see it all, but the highlights were really worth seeing, and I definitely plan on going again. My boyfriend and I took a bus from the Express Bus Terminal at 11 a.m., and we were in downtown Gyeongju by 2 or 3p.m.  Immediately outside the bus terminal is a tourist office, which had a very helpful employee and an informative map.  We walked in the direction that had the most to offer.

 

The  first site that caught our eye was a park surrounded by a low, decorative gate that allowed you to see many neat, trimmed and maintained hills sticking out, plain and unadorned.  Not knowing what they were, we paid the 1,000 won entrance fee and ambled through.  The trees were mostly bear save for a bright orange fruit of some kind, and the bright hills stood out against the stark blue sky.  It turns out, these were the ancient burial grounds of kings and queens, filled inside with paintings and relics on display at the wonderful Gyeongju National Museum.  Since it was late fall, the only other green that could be found besides the tombs was along a winding path through Evergreen and Fern trees as we headed towards the back exit.

We got lucky: without a specific plan besides the usual "see stuff", the back exit led us right to the famous observatory tower.  It was only 9.17 meters (30 feet) tall, but every sign in Gyeongju tells you to see it immediately.  Past that is Anapji Pond and just down the road is the the National Museum...which makes for a perfect walking day. Each had a compelling character, rich history, and allowed you to glimpse into a city as ancient as the Egyptians.

My favorite part of the trip was Seokuram Grotto.  From Bulguksa Temple, (which is a wonderful stroll, where I was compelled to start a heated debate about the value of original works versus replications) take the bus to Seokuram Grotto.  DO NOT WALK.  Koreans are wonderfully, notoriously hikers.  Even throughout this, the coldest winter in Korean history, the subway was filled daily with ajummas and ajoshis in full-out hiking gear, having spent the day trudging through snow to the tops of mountains.  So, when I decided we should walk, the Koreans we asked simply said, "Walk in that direction."  What we didn't know was they meant, "Walk in that direction, uphill, over boulders, for three hours".  Thankfully my boyfriend insisted we take the bus up a winding course over precarious ledges.  It was worth the bus fare.

Although you can't take pictures, I will remember the statue of Buddha in the grotto.  The slight smile and open nature of the image, the way it was guarded by various Bodhisattvas, the way it filled the round and secluded room with life, the moon-shaped ceiling, and the faint glow of candles on this 1,200 year old statue made it memorable and more impressionable that I had thought possible.  The idea that it's been hiding, kept safe from attacks by the reclusive nature of the Korean mountains made it a special moment that seemed almost serendipitous.  It was worth the equally terrifying ride back down the winding mountain path. 

Overall, Gyeongju might be my top favorite trip in Korea so far.  Its history, accessibility, and beauty make the entire city a priceless relic to stroll through on a fine autumn day.