A few minutes’ walk south through the trees from Cheomseongdae, Banwol-seong is the site of a once-fabled fortress. Now it’s attractive parkland, where you can see some walls and ruins, as well as a huge and active excavation site. The only intact building is the early-18th-century Seokbinggo (Stone Ice House), which was once used as a food store and was restored in 1973. The hanja 石冰庫 (meaning 'Stone Ice House') is carved on the lintel over the entrance.
Banwol-seong
Gyeongju
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.86 MILES
The huge, walled park has 23 tombs of Silla monarchs and family members. From the outside, they resemble substantial grassy hillocks that echo the…
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1.01 MILES
Near the main shopping area is the Noseo-dong district, where you'll find Silla tombs. Seobongchong and Geumgwanchong are adjacent tombs built between the…
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1.01 MILES
Sprouting huge trees of vast girth, this is the largest extant Silla tomb – 22m high, with a 250m circumference. It's quite a picture at any time put…
6.68 MILES
On a series of stone terraces about 16km southeast of Gyeongju, set among gnarled pines and iris gardens, this historic temple is the crowning glory of…
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18.19 MILES
This temple is a visual masterpiece filled with enchanting contours, colours and contrasts. It begins at the park entrance with an 800m walk through a…
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8.3 MILES
Close to the summit of the thickly forested Obong-san (640m), Bokdu-am features a huge rock face out of which 19 niches have been carved. The three…
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29.12 MILES
You’ll need a full day to explore the offerings in and around this temple about 30km north of Pohang. Bogyeong-sa is a gateway to a beautiful valley…
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7.54 MILES
In the mountains above Bulguk-sa is this world-famous Unesco-listed Buddhist grotto, a magical place when rain and mists envelop the mountaintops and…
Nearby Gyeongju attractions
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This is a very popular spot for couples to take pre-wedding photos, especially from June to early August when magnificent lotus blossoms seem to fill the…
0.28 MILES
Arguably the best history museum in Korea, the Gyeongju National Museum is where you can appreciate the significance of this ancient city in one fell…
0.37 MILES
Southeast of Tumuli-gongwon in the attractive sprawl of Wolseong-gongwon is the Far East’s oldest astrological observatory, constructed between AD 632 and…
0.65 MILES
The ruins of this simply vast 6th century temple are a sad and desolate spectacle: once the nation's largest Buddhist temple, its standout feature was a…
5. Hwangnyong-sa History and Culture Museum
0.67 MILES
At the Hwangnyong-sa site, this excellent museum contains a model of the huge temple pagoda as it once looked, a vast illuminated Buddha head, other…
0.73 MILES
This large pagoda was built in the mid-7th century during Queen Seondeok’s reign, making it the oldest datable pagoda in Korea. It’s a rare example of one…
0.84 MILES
Across the road from Noseo-dong tombs is this tomb, adjoining Bonghwadae.
0.84 MILES
This is the only tomb at Tumuli-gongwon that is open to visitors. At the time of writing the tomb was shut for a grand restoration, scheduled to reopen by…