A trip to Gyeongju 경주, the capital of Silla
Authored By:
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:
Related Posts
A Must do Day Trip: Sokcho City and Seoraksan Mountain
Korea is such a small country that it is easier to explore than most, and it offers the best opportunities to fill your weekends with day trips. On Children’s Day... keep reading
Romantic Week in Seoul
As a first-generation Mexican American, I never thought I’d get the opportunity to learn Korean, let alone live in Korea. This surreal experience is only made better by the fact... keep reading
Seoul Searching: Navigating Seoul Public Transportation
When I first arrived in Seoul, I found public transportation to be intimidating. There are so many people, so many buses, and so many subway trains, yet because there is... keep reading