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- Destinations
- Asia
- South Korea
- Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju was the original capital of ancient Korea. The town is
built around old palaces, temples and burial mounds. Gyeongju is
one of the most important historical areas in South Korea and has
been declared a UNESCO World Heritage district. As such a walk
around the quaint town of Gyeongju is often compared to walking
through an open-air museum.For visitors interested in the rich and
fascinating history of Korea, spending a few days in Gyeongju is
one of the most popular things to do in South Korea.
The best time to visit Gyeongju is during spring or autumn. In
spring many of the cherry trees planted throughout the town are in
bloom which makes for an exceptionally scenic tour of the area.
There are also extensive flower fields on the outskirts of Gyeongju
which are particularly spectacular during spring. Autumn is the
perfect time to enjoy the forested areas as the foliage changes
colour.
Gyeongju National Museum is the ideal start to any tour of
Gyeongju. Visitors to the museum can find out more about the town
and the historical sights scattered throughout the area. From there
visitors should head to any one of Gyeongju's many attractions in
the centre of town such as spectacular Cheonmachong Tombs and
burial mounds in Tumuli Park. At first the ancient tombs appear to
be perfectly rounded hillocks scattered throughout the park, it is
only on closer inspection that visitors see that they are in fact
tombs rather than hills. The ancient Cheomseongdae Observatory is
the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia. Further afield you
will find Bulguksa Temple, Toham Mountain, the ancient Seokguram
Grotto and Yangdong Village. Bulguksa is one of South Korea's most
spectacular temples and definitely worth a visit. Tohamsan or Toham
Mountain is home to both Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto. The Grotto
contains arguably some of the finest Buddhist sculptures in the
world. Both Seokguram and Bulguksa are UNESCO sites. The tranquil
Anapji pond is the perfect place to end a day spent exploring the
treasures of Gyeongju.
Getting to Gyeongju i is relatively easy as the city is an hour
away from the city of Daegu on the KTX express train route. Buses
to Seoul and Busan depart from Gyeongju fairly regularly throughout
the day. Getting around Gyeongju is a breeze. Visitors can hire a
moped, bicycle or make use of the sightseeing busses which make
regular trips between all of Gyeongju's principal attractions.
Information & Facts
Language
The official language is Korean.
Money
South Korea's monetary unit is the won (KRW). Currency can be
exchanged at most banks and at casinos, and travellers cheques
cashed at authorised banks and hotels. Most merchants in the cities
accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards, but
Koreans traditionally prefer cash. ATMs at banks are usually
accessible only during banking hours, and instructions on the
machines are generally only in Korean. Public ATMs at convenience
stores and subway stations are generally available 24 hours. US
Dollars are an accepted form of foreign currency and can be used as
US Dollars in the areas around the American Military bases in South
Korea.
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