Tourism in Gyeongju is a major industry and defining feature of Gyeongju, South Korea. Gyeongju is today a major cultural site and tourist destination for South Koreans. A great deal of this is due to the city's status as a center of Silla heritage, derived from its former role as the capital of that ancient kingdom. Gyeongju is a city (see Subdivisions of South Korea) and prominent tourist destination in eastern South Korea. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Silla (also denoted as Shilla) was one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. ...

Silla remains

See also: main article on Silla

Bulguksa temple in Gyeongju

Many Silla sites are included in Gyeongju National Park. In addition, the Gyeongju National Museum hosts many artifacts from the Silla kingdom which have been excavated from sites within the city and surrounding areas, including several royal crowns and other national treasures. Silla (also denoted as Shilla) was one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. ... http://www. ... http://www. ... Gyeongju National Park is one of 20 national parks in South Korea. ... The national treasures of Korea are a numbered set of artifacts, sites, and buildings which are recognized by South Korea as having exceptional cultural value. ...

Some of Gyeongju's most famous sites relate to the Silla government's patronage of Buddhism. The grotto of Seokguram and the temple of Bulguksa were the first Korean sites to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1995. In addition, the ruins of the old Hwangnyongsa temple, said to have been Korean's largest, are preserved on the slopes of Toham Mountain. Various Silla-era stone carvings of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are found on mountainsides throughout the city, particularly on Namsan. A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived between approximately 566 and 486 BCE. Originating in India, Buddhism gradually spread throughout Asia to Central Asia... The Seokguram grotto is a hermitage of the Bulguksa temple and lies east of the temple on Mt. ... Bulguksa is a Buddhist temple in the South Korea. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ... Hwangnyongsa is a former Buddhist temple in South Korea. ... Namsan (남산, South Mountain) is a 494-meter peak in the heart of Gyeongju National Park, in Gyeongju, South Korea. ...

The Gyerim, or "Chicken Forest," adjoins the Royal Tomb Complex in central Gyeongju. So does the Anapji pond, the Poseokjeong garden site, and the Cheomseongdae observatory. Each site is deeply woven into the legends and history of the Silla period. The Gyerim is a small woodland in Gyeongju National Park, Gyeongju, South Korea. ... Anapji is an artificial pond in Gyeongju National Park, Gyeongju, South Korea. ... The Poseokjeong site near Namsan in Gyeongju was built in the Silla period. ... Cheomseongdae is a stone tower that seems to have been built in the middle 7th century in Gyeongju by Silla. ...

A number of fortresses from the Silla period have been preserved. These include the Wolseong and Myeonghwal fortresses in the downtown area, and the Bu Mountain Fortress in Geoncheon-eup.

Tombs

Burial mounds in Gyeongju

The tombs of the rulers of Silla are all located within the boundaries of Gyeongju. The identity of the ruler is known in many cases, particularly for the later rulers. However, many of the older tombs found in the Royal Tombs Complex cannot be conclusively tied to any ruler. Partly for this reason, many of the tombs are known by the names of notable artifacts excavated there. One example of this is the Tomb of the Heavenly Horse, where a mudflap bearing a celestial horse motif was found.

Not all of the Silla-era tombs are royal. The tomb of the general Kim Yu-sin is located on one of the low mountains surrounding Gyeongju Basin. Kim Yu-shin (595-673) was a general in 7th-century Silla. ...

A notable tomb outside the usual historical precincts of Gyeongju is that of King Munmu, d. 681, who was buried at sea just off the coast of Yangbuk-myeon. Munmu, the first king of Unified Silla, instructed that he should be buried there so that he could become a dragon and protect the Silla coastline. Munmu (reigned 661–681)was the thirtieth king of the Korean kingdom of Silla. ... // Events August 9 - The Bulgars win the war with the Byzantine Empire; the latter signs a peace treaty, which is considered as the birth-date of Bulgaria Wilfrid of York is expelled from Northumbria by Ecgfrith and retires into Sussex Births Deaths January 10 - Pope Agatho Ebroin, Mayor of the... Unified Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla after 668. ...

Later sites

Although Gyeongju no longer played a particularly central role during the Joseon Dynasty, a number of relics from that period have been preserved alongside the Silla sites. A few seowon, Confucian private schools which dotted the Korean countryside during the Joseon Dynasty, have been preserved. Seo-ak seowon is situated in the downtown area, and Oksan seowon is is preserved in Angang-eup. In Gangdong-myeon, a folk village keeps up the appearances of the late Joseon period. Adjacent to the Royal Tombs Complex in downtown Gyeongju, the houses of the Gyodong neighborhood also keep the hanok form they had in Joseon times. Gyodong includes the main house of the Gyeongju Choi clan, which is also a famed brewery of beopju. The Joseon Dynasty (alternatively, Choson or Chosun) was the final ruling dynasty of Korea, lasting from 1392 until 1910. ... Seowon were the dominant educational institution of Korea during the mid- to late Joseon Dynasty. ... The Joseon Dynasty (alternatively, Choson or Chosun) was the final ruling dynasty of Korea, lasting from 1392 until 1910. ...

Conferences and festivals

A significant portion of Gyeongju's tourist traffic is due to the city's successful promotion of itself as a site for various festivals, conferences, and competitions.

Every year since 1962 a Silla cultural festival has been held in October to celebrate and honour the dynasty's history and culture. It is one of the major festivals of Korea. It features athletic events, folk games, music, dance, literary contests and Buddhist religious ceremonies. Other festivals include the Cherry Blossom Marathon in April, the Korean Traditional Liquor and Cake festival in March, and memorial ceremonies for the founders of the Silla Dynasty and General Kim Yu-sin. Kim Yu-shin (595-673) was a general in 7th-century Silla. ...

Resorts and theme parks

The area surrounding the Bomun Lake reservoir has been transformed into a resort area. A theme park named Gyeongju World is located on the reservoir's western shore. The Gyeongju World Culture Expo is held every 2-3 years in at Expo Park just south of the lake. Many of the city's principal hotels are also located in this area. Other resorts and hotels are found throughout the city.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Tourism
• Tourism in South Korea