Underwater Tomb of King Munmu
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| Address |
| Gyeongsanbuk-do, Gyeongju, Yangbuk-myeon, Bonggil-ri |
| Description |
Seokguram, located on Mt.Tohamsan, is the representative stone temple of Korea.
The official name of Seokguram, National Treasure No.24, is Seokguram
Seokgul. Designated as World Cultural Asset by UNESCO in 1995, it is an
artificial stone temple made of granites.
The construction first started
with Kim Dae-Seong (700~774) in 751 during the reign of King Gyeong-Deok
(742~765) of Silla dynasty (57 B.C.~A.D. 935) and it was finished in 774, after
24 years, during the reign of King Hye-Gong (765~780).
Seokguram is known
to have been built with Bulguksa temple. According to the history book
Samgukyusa of the Goryeo dynasty (the country that unified the Korean peninsula
at the end of the Silla dynasty, 918~1392), Kim Dae-Seong had built Bulguksa for
his present parents who were alive, and Seokguram for his former parents in his
former life.
Seokguram is an artificial stone temple made of granites,
and is located on the eastern peak of Mt.Toham (745m sea level). Inside the
round-shaped main hall is the Bojon statue, Bodhi-sattva and his disciples.
Seokguram was built to preserve these statues. The Bojon figure is seated on the
stage where the Yeonhwa gate is engraved, and the Buddha has a generous, kind
smile. The ceiling is decorated with the shape of half moons and bows, and the
top is covered by a circular cap decorated with a lotus flower. The sunrise you
can watch from here is so beautiful that many people come here just to see it.
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| Directions |
| Bus: From Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus #150 to Yangbuk and get off
at Bonggil Beach (Bonggil Haesuyokjang) bus stop. The ride is about 50 minutes.
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| Information |
Location: Gyeongsanbuk-do, Gyeongju, Yangbuk-myeon, Bonggil-ri
Admission Fee:
Free
Hours: Open 24 hours
Closed: Open Year Round
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| Travel TIPS |
| Nearby the Underwater Tomb of King Munmu is Gameun-sa Temple, which is where
sacrificial rites were performed for the King. Although only the foundation
remains, the well-preserved Seok-tap Pagoda is one of the oldest and considered
one of the most beautiful pagodas in Korea from the Silla Dynasty. The site is
about a 10-15 minute walk from the Underwater Tomb of King Munmu.
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