On a series of stone terraces about 16km southeast of Gyeongju, set among gnarled pines and iris gardens that would make Van Gogh swoon, this temple is the crowning glory of Shilla architecture and is on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage list. The excellence of its carpentry, the skill of its painters (particularly the interior woodwork and the eaves of the roofs) and the subtlety of its landscapes all contribute to its magnificence.
The approach to the temple leads you to two national-treasure bridges . One of these bridges has 33 steps, representing the 33 stages to enlightenment. Two more national treasures are the pagodas standing in the courtyard of the first set of buildings that somehow survived Japanese vandalism. The first, Dabotap , is of plain design and typical of Shilla artistry, while the other, Seokgatap , is much more ornate and typical of the neighbouring Baekje kingdom. The pagodas are so revered that replicas appear in the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum .
You can reach Bulguk-sa by loop buses 10 or 11 (₩1500, 30 minutes), though from central Gyeongju 11 is much quicker. There’s a tourist information booth in the car park, near the bus stop.
