The Joseon ruled the country until the Japanese occupation of 1910, ending monarchy rule in Korea. The century before the birth of Jesus, the Silla people occupied the region of Gyeongju. Over the centuries, they gained more power and by the 7th century, they unified the region under their name.
The city is littered with massive tombs, looking like giant hills, emerging from the flat ground throughout the city. Seeing them for the first time, it’s something neither of us had ever seen before. Our first stop was at the Cheomseongdae Observatory, built in the mid-seventh century. It is the oldest surviving observatory in East Asia. The kingdom used it to tell the time and calculate the timing of the equinox via a small window.
For the rest of the day, we walked among the tombs, active archeological sites, and palaces that once were the center of power in Korea. And in the evening, we took a walk on the beautifully lit Woljeong Bridge, which looks like a temple stretched across the river.
The next day, we took the car to Bulguksa Temple, located in the mountains outside of the city center. The original temple was built in the 8th century, but unfortunately was burnt to the ground during the Japanese invasion in the 16th century. But with a lot of research, the Koreans rebuilt it using the original design and materials.
After learning and hearing stories about the famed temple, we drove on a windy road to one of the most significant national treasures in Korea, the Seokguram Grotto, built during a similar time to the temple. Inside an artificially built cave sits the original statue of Buddha that’s about 12 feet high. Buddha is surrounded by 41 statues of different significant figures in the religion. The structure was massively impressive, especially considering the technology and mathematics that went into its design. Both sites are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In the evening, we went to learn a more in depth history of the Silla people in the Gyeongju National Museum, followed by a local dinner in the city. It would be our final night with the car before heading back to Busan.
The next day, we would fly to Jeju Island off the southern coast to meet some old friends.