Gyeongju Historic Area [UNESCO World Heritage]
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
The Gyeongju Historic Area, registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage on November 2000, is an area that embodies the time-honored history and culture of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (新羅, 57-935)The Gyeongju Historic Area can be divided into 5 major sections.The first section is the Namsan Area, a treasure trove of Buddhist art masterpieces dating back to the Silla Kingdom. Gyeongju Namsan Mountain (often referred to as an ‘outdoor museum’) is home to many historical heritage sites from the Silla Kingdom. Major attractions include: Poseokjeong (Historic Site No.1), Tapgok Maaejosanggun (Treasure No. 201), Cheollyongsaji Three-story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 1188), Chilbulam Maae Stone Buddha (Treasure No. 200), Bulgok Seated Stone Buddha (Treasure No. 198), and 37 other Buddhist relicsThe second section is the Wolseong Area, one of the former palace sites of the Silla Kingdom. The area consists of Gyerim (Historic Site No. 19); Imhaejeonji (Historic Site No. 18), a Silla Royal Palace site; and Cheomseongdae (National Treasure No. 31), the oldest observatory in the East. Daereungwon area, the third area, features a cluster of the royal graves of the Kings and Queens of Silla.Also in the same area are Gobungun (a cluster of old graves) in Nodong-ri (Historic Site No. 38), Gobungun (a cluster of old graves) in Noseo-ri (Historic Site No. 39) Gobungun (a cluster of old graves) in Hwangnam-ri (Historic Site No. 40), and Oreung (Historic Site No. 172), among others. Archaeologists have discovered a number of invaluable relics and historic items in this area such as Geumgwan (golden crown), Cheonmado (a painting of flying horses), and numerous pottery pieces. These finds are perhaps the greatest clues into the life of the people of the Silla Dynasty.Area number four, the Hwangnyongsa Area, is where the former site of the Hwangnyongsa Temple (Historic Site No. 246) and Bunhwangsa Stone Pagoda are located. Lastly, is the Sanseong Area, housing remnants of the major defense system for the capital city. The site consists of Myeonghwalsanseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 47) which is estimated to be around 400 years old.The Gyeongju Historic Area has a total of 52 designated cultural assets that are registered as World Cultural Heritages. 

Andong Folk Museum
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Andong-si) ,
The Andong Public Folk Museum is where you can experience Confucian culture and traditional games of Korea. Andong is famous for Confucian culture and the four traditional ceremonies (the ceremonies of coming of age, marriage, funeral and ancestral worship). Here you can view the lifestyles of the past and important cultural treasures. The indoor museum is segmented into three exhibit halls. At Exhibit Hall 1, the process of going from the birth of a baby to childhood is displayed. At Exhibit Hall 2, the process of becoming an adult to the rituals of death and funeral is displayed. At Exhibit Hall 3, the daily life and traditional games are displayed in small models. Including old farming tools and cloth making process, the folk relics of this museum add up to 3,700 artifacts. There is also a visual system for videos. After you look through the indoor exhibits, head outside to the outdoor exhibits. The outdoor exhibit is a park complex, made of folk houses and cultural assets moved to this site. You will see exhibits representing the Andong lifestyle such as a stone house, a straw roofed, mud-hut and a watermill.

Singyeongju Station
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
Singyeongju Station is located in Gyeongju, a city that served as the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom for a thousand years. Construction of Singyeongju Station began in August 2007 and was completed on October 28, 2010. The station was officially opened to the public on November 1, 2010 and has facilitated safe and convenient transport to Pohang, Yeongcheon, and other neighboring areas ever since.

Bunhwangsa Temple
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
Bunhwangsa Temple was built during the year 634 and the third year of Queen Seondeok's rule, the 27th ruler of the Silla Kingdom. Prominent Buddhist priests Wonhyo and Jajang have resided at the temple.As the temple has a long history, it once held many historical relics but most of them have been lost due to the Mongolian invasion and the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592. The remaining relics are Mojeon Stone Tower, Hwajaengguksabibu (A memorial stone placed in memory of Wonhyo, a renown Buddhist priest from the Silla Kingdom), Samnyongbyeoneojeong (A well in which the three dragons that protected Silla were believed to reside), and Danggan Pillars.Mojeon Stone Tower, the 30th National Treasure reaching a x_height of 9.3 meters, was built using bricks carved from andesite rocks. While the tower is presumed to be originally a 7-9 story structure, only 3 stories remain today. Danggan Pillars, two stone pillars that stand 3.6 meters high, are located at the entrance of Punhwangsa Temple. Danggan refers to flagpoles made of either wood, metal or stone that were used to hang flags which signified Buddhist festivals so that even people far away would be aware of them. The pillars are supported by stone turtles, a unique feature as most pillars do not possess such characteristics. There are also statues of Buddha displayed in the yard of Gyeongju National Museum. These statues were found in a well situated 30 meters north of the rear wall of Bunhwangsa Temple.

Tomb of General Kim Yusin
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
The tomb of General Kim Yusin (595-673) is Historic Site No. 21. It is located in a scenic area thick with pine trees, on the eastern hill of Songhwasan Mountain.Known as the Hero of the Silla Kingdom, General Kim Yusin was the great grandson of King Guhae, the last king of the Geumgwan Gaya Dynasty, and the son of Seo Hyeon, a great general of the Silla Kingdom. Yusin joined the Hwarang (aristocratic youth military corps) at 15 and began dreaming of ways to unify the peninsula’s three kingdoms.Kim Yusin gained his political foothold by establishing a strong relationship with nobleman Kim Chunchu and made a name for himself through his valor on the battlefield.When Kim Chunchu eventually succeeded to the throne as the 29th king of the Silla Kingdom (changing his name to King Muyeol), Kim Yusin rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the extraordinarily high-ranking position of Sangdaedeung in the year 660 (7th year of King Muyeol’s reign). Kim Yusin then went on to defeat the Baekje Kingdom in cooperation with the Tang Dynasty, also later conquering the Goguryeo Kingdom in the year 668.The Tang Dynasty turned against Silla after the collapse of Goguryeo, but was defeated by Kim Yusin’s army in cooperation with the armies of Goguryeo and Baekje. With the fall of the Tang, Kim Yusin finally realized his dream of unifying the three kingdoms and was appointed the highest government post in Silla in honor of his heroic achievement.The tomb of General Kim Yusin is a large tomb measuring roughly 30m in diameter. The relief carvings of 12 Oriental zodiac gods (half man, half animal) stand guard around the tomb, brandishing weapons. The elaborately decorated tomb is second in grandeur only to those of royalty, further underscoring Yusin’s major contribution in unifying the three kingdoms.The path to this tomb is also a sight not to be missed. The street leading up to the tomb is called Heungmu-ro, and has been selected as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Streets in Korea. The street is full of cherry blossoms in spring and is famous for being a great place to take a walk or go for a drive.

Gyeongju Teddy Bear Museum
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
The Teddy Bear Museum in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do is a unique modern attraction. Instead of displaying realistic human sculptures, the museum uses hundreds of large and small teddy bears to depict the history of mankind (going back as far as the Age of Dinosaurs) as well as of the Silla Kingdom in several different exhibition halls. The museum also features a 3D movie theater, an art gallery, an underwater world exhibit, and a souvenir shop.

Yeongju Museom Village
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Yeongju-si) ,
Located in Sudo-ri (Munsu-myeon, Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do), Museom Village is a charming Hanok Village surrounded by water. Flowing down from Mt. Sobaek and Mt. Taebaek, Naeseongcheon Stream and Yeongjucheon Stream converge and loop around Museom Village, surrounding the village on three sides with water. The island-like village is not only a center of traditional Korean culture, but also has a gorgeous natural landscape complete with a wide sandy beach riverside and a lush forest inland.Known for Haeudang and Manjukje (two of the most historical hanok houses in the area) the village is also home to other outstanding traditional houses such as the Kim Gyu-jin House and the Kim Wi-jin House. Manjukje is located at the heart of the village and is popular among international visitors, as it is the oldest traditional house in the hanok village. Manjukje was built in 1666 (7th year of King Heonjong's reign) by Bak Su (the father of the Bannam Bak Family).Nearby Manjukje is Manun House, built in the early 19th century and named after Kim Hwi-geol (penname, “Manun”). The house later became the home of the wife of the famous poet Jo Ji-hun, author of “Byeolli,” a poem expressing the beauty of Museom Village.Other notable houses include the Kim Jin-wi House (a house belonging to aristocrats), the Kim Jeong-gyu House (a house without the traditional outer fencing), and the Bak Jae-yeon House, where the writings of Bak Gyu-su (a scholar belonging to the Silhakpa school of thought during the late Joseon Period) still remain today.Another famous attraction in the village is the Single Log Bridge, which was the village’s only connection to the outside world for over 350 years before the construction of Sudo Bridge in 1979. It is a tiny bridge in terms of x_width (30cm), but it stretches for over 150m. It is said that the bridge was rebuilt annually after being destroyed each rainy season. With the construction of Sudo Bridge, the Single Log Bridge was no longer needed, but was rebuilt some time later in its original form. To celebrate the bridge’s impressive history, each year the Oenamu Dari Festival (literally, “Single Log Bridge Festival”) is held in October.

Cheongdo Wine Tunnel
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Cheongdo-gun) ,
The Gam Wine Tunnel opened its doors in 2006 in Songgeum-ri, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do and is the world’s FIRST persimmon wine cellar! The Wine Tunnel is the perfect place for aging persimmon wine, which is made by the process of fermenting seedless persimmons, a local specialty of Cheongdo. The tunnel has become increasingly popular due to its scenic location, elegant inside atmosphere, and its beautiful surrounding orchards. At the tunnel, group tourists can participate in a number of programs such as making their own wine or picking persimmons. For the individual traveler, there are exhibitions, wine sampling, a café, and a wine market. The tunnel, located in the middle of a mountain, stays at a temperature of 15 Celsius with 60~70% humidity all year round, making it a naturally refreshing place to visit during the summer. The tunnel was originally called “Namseonghyeon Tunnel” and was built back in 1898 during the Joseon Dynasty. The wine cellar as we know it today was created a hundred years ago when persimmon growers put red bricks on the ceiling of the tunnel and reinforced the tunnel walls with natural stone, turning the railroad tunnel into a great wine cellar and unique tourist attraction!      

Hahoe Mask Museum
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Andong-si) ,
Hahoe Mask Museum is located in Andong Hahoe Village, which is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Important Folklore Material No. 122. Hahoe Village is a representative traditional Korean folk town and is the home of the Hahoe Mask (National Treasure No. 121) and the Byeolsin Gut Mask Dance (Important Intangible Cultural Properties No. 69). The museum not only displays Hahoe masks, but also other traditional masks from all over the world. The museum consists of a 1-story main building, a two-story annex building, an outdoor event garden, and a research room. The research room houses a wide range of books, documents, and video-audio materials related to masks. At the museum, you’ll encounter time-honored Korean masks that have long since been used in a variety of traditional mask dances. Masks include Bongsan, Gangnyeong, and Eunnyul masks from Hwanghae-do province; Sandaenori masks (Yeongju Byeolsandae and Songpa Sandaenori) from Seoul; Yaryu (Dongrae Yaryu, and Suyeong Yaryu masks) and Ogwangdae (Goseong Ogwangdae, Gasan Ogwangdae, Tongyeong Ogwangdae masks) from the Yeongnam region; Hahoe masks from Andong; Yeonghae Byeolsin Gut masks; Yeonggwang Nongakjapsaek masks; Yecheon Cheongdan Noreum masks; the Gangneung Gwanno Mask of the Gangneung Dano Festival; the Deotboegi mask of Namsadang nori; and Cheoyong, Bangsangssi ceremonial masks.

Gyeongju Station
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si) ,
Located in Seongdong-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongju Station began operating on November 1, 1918. The station is part of the Donghae Nambu Line and is the last stop on the Jungang Line.