Did you know that Seokguram, a masterpiece of Buddhist art created by the Shilla people, was originally named “Seokbulsa” Temple? Seokguram was originally built as a temple by a prime minister named Kim Dae-seong who served during the reign of King Gyeongdeok (the 35th monarch of Shilla). The domed ceiling of Seokguram shows the influence India and the Tang Dynasty had on Gyeongju, as an international city at the time. One thing to note is that Seokguram was built using an entirely different technique compared to other temples that preceded it. Instead of digging a cave, the architect used tomb-building techniques available in Shilla to erect the stone walls. UNESCO designated Seokguram as a World Heritage Site in 1995, and lauded the temple as a culmination of architecture, mathematics, and geometry brought together under the umbrella of religion and art.

Art historian Yu Hong-jun has also singled out Seokguram as the most valuable heritage site in Korea on multiple occasions. More specifically, Seokguram features the main Buddha statue (widely regarded as the best artifact from our Buddhist art history), statues of Buddha’s 10 disciples, bodhisattvas, heavenly gods, and other artifacts that can teach people about Buddha. Direction-wise, Seokguram faces the East Sea. Interestingly, you can connect Seokguram and the underwater royal tomb of King Munmu in a straight line. That is why some people believe that Buddha and King Munmu the Great protected the Shilla Kingdom.

Seokguram also offers a great view of the sunrise, which is why Gyeongju is part of a “Sunrise Alliance” with Ulsan and Pohang. It might be a good idea to spend a night and see the sunrise standing on the very spot where Buddha has been looking over Gyeongju for more than a millennium. If you do get a chance, welcome the sun rise over the ocean at the top of Tohamsan Mountain with the main Buddha statue at Seokguram beneath your feet.