Sign in with Facebook
Hotel Class: 
5 Stars - 20 Opinions
477-2 Shinpyeong-Dong, Kyongju, 780-290, South Korea
Check Rates and Availability
of people enjoy staying here
20 Opinions
Seokguram Grotto
Seokguram Grotto, main entrance
Gwaereung Tomb
Gwaereung Tomb
In October 2007, when is the silla cultural festival? What kind of events/activities does it have? Or is it the same experience as the free 1 1/2 hour cultural performance at the Bomun outdoor performance stage happening almost daily?
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. Therefore it is not the same as you can see in the 90 minute performance. I don't have the exact dates for you, but if you go to the www.tour2korea.com site, it should be there somewhere. By the way, Gyeongju is a UNESCO World Heritage site so just going there even when there is no festival is worth the trip.
FYI the HUGE Cultural Expo is going on there nearly the entire month of October that the Silla festival has sort of become part of. Basically it is like a world's fair of sorts of culture for the entire month. You won't be disappointed.
Gyeongju Historic Site was designated as the world cultural heritage under " Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Ntural Heritage " by the UNESCO on December 2, 2000.
1. Namsan site : Whole Area of Namsan
2. Wolseong site : Wolseong, Cheomseongdae, Anapji, Gyerim, etc.
3. Daeneungwon site : Daeneungwon, Tumuli in Nodong and Noseo, etc.
4. Hwangnyongsa site : Hwangnyongsa site, Bunhwangsa.
5. Fortress site : Myeonghwal Fortress
.
.
There are so many bike rental stalls around the town of Gyeongju. Biking is a good alternative to walking as the parks cover great distance and sometimes far apart. The biking trails are well paved too. .
.
I was unable to rent one because I'm too small for the usual mountain bikes :0)
The main reasons for building temples and Buddha statues in the Shilla Kingdom were to pray for national prosperity, reincarnation of royal family and realization of one's wishes. The Seokguram Grotto is a hermitage and part of the Bulguk-Sa temple complex. It lies four kilometers east of the main temple on Mount Toham-san. The Grotto overlooks the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and rests 750 meters above sea level.
In 1962, it was designated the 24th national treasure of Korea. In 1995 Seokguram was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with Bulguk-sa temple, as it exemplifies some of the best Buddhist sculptures in the world.
The Grotto is said to have been built by Kim Dae-Seong, and was originally called Seokbul-sa (Stone Buddha Temple). Construction began in 742 (or in 751), when Kim Dae-Seong resigned his position in the King's Court.
This time period was the cultural peak of the Unified Shilla. The Grotto was completed by the Shilla Court in 774, shortly after Kim's death. An old legend relates that the Bulguk-sa temple was dedicated to Kim's parents in his present life, while the Seokguram Grotto was dedicated to Kim's parents from a previous life.
NOTE: Picture Taking is NOT Allowed Inside the Grotto!!!
Namsan, located on the outskirts of Gyeonju has numerours interesting treks. During the Silla period, it held great importance serving as the "capital-of-the-capital". Many temples, Buddhist sculputures, tombs of royalties are scattered in the mountains.
Indeed, as you concentrate on your climb to the peak, there are many forked trails leading to that obscure temple or stone sculpture of lantern or Buddha statue craved into the rock. The silence and serenity of the track, occasionally broken by the Buddhist chants of that mountaintop temple (exemplified with loudspeakers - LOL) fills the trek with a sense of mysticism.
Atop the peak, you can get a good view of the farmlands at the foot of the mountain. Mine was the golden fields of Autumn with rice waiting to be harvested.
Note that there are 3 trailheads with different paths but most people would start with the one at the Oreung tombs. During my visit, I also tried to locate the trail behind the Poseokjeonji (the pleasure garden with the abalone shaped waterway), but there was some ongoing road repairs and infested with mosquitoes in late afternoon.
Gyerim(Chicken Forest), the legendary birthplace of Kim Al-ji, the founder of the Kim clan. According to the story, King Talhae heard the sound of a chicken in the forest, at that spot, a gold box was found hanging from the branch of a tree, with a white chicken under it. A baby, Kim Al-ji, was found in the box. This forest was located at the between Cheomseongdae and Wolseong fortress
Sponsored Links
Similar to Hotel Hyundai
Near Hotel Hyundai
Cheapest in Kyongju
Great Hotels for Less
Q: Bus from Gyeongju to Busan "We are not sure whether to go to Gyeongju from Busan for a long day visit (this is preferred) or stay overnight at Gyeongju...."
A: "The lights on the observatory tower are on from sunset until 10~11pm depending if it is winter or..."
Sponsored Links
Latest Kyongju hotel reviews
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
We've found that other people looking for this hotel also know it by these names:
Address: 477-2 Shinpyeong-Dong, Kyongju, 780-290, South Korea
Check Rates and Availability (from our partners)
