A trip to Gyeongju 경주, the capital of Silla
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In early February, I took a 2 and a half hour KTX train ride from Seoul to Gyeongju, in Gyeongsangbuk-do which is towards the southeastern area of Korea. Gyeongju was the capital of Silla during the Three Kingdoms (57BC – 668AD) and the Great Silla Kingdom (668AD-935AD) which lasted for about 1,000 years, and was the fourth largest city in the world at the time.
Even after the three kingdoms (Silla 신라, Baekje 백제, Goguryeo 고구려) unified, Gyeongju remained as the area popularized for international trade, commerce, and culture. Today, it is one of Korea’s greatest cultural and historical heritage sites - it was also named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Gyeongju is known as a living museum, or a museum without walls, as you can see sites and monuments wherever you go. It also suffered from Japanese invasions and was where one of the bloodiest battles occurred.
It was great to take some time away from the city and go more south, especially since the weather was a bit warmer than in Seoul. I recommend everyone to visit, but not without walking shoes, cute outfits to take pictures in, and a camera!
Here are some of the places I visited:
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