Bulguksa Temple

Bulguksa Temple, located at the foot of Tohamsan Mountain in Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is one of Korea’s representative temples designated as a world heritage along with Seokguram Hermitage in 1995 and is an important cultural property where you can enjoy brilliant Silla art and Silla Buddhist culture.

Bulguksa Temple, founded in the heyday of the Unified Silla Period, when Silla unified the three kingdoms and blossomed a stable and splendid Buddhist culture, is not sure of its establishment date, but records show that it was a fairly large temple with a total of 60 large and small buildings.

The stone pagodas, stone steps, and stone steps of Bulguksa Temple are said to have been founded in 751 (35th King Gyeongdeok of Silla), but most of the wooden buildings such as Daeungjeon Hall were destroyed during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 18th century.

In the precincts of Bulguksa Temple, Yeonhwagyo Chilbogyo (National Treasure No. 22), stone steps leading up to Geuknakjeon Hall, Cheongungyo Baegungyo (National Treasure No. 23) stone steps leading up to Daeungjeon Hall, 1.7m-high gilt-bronze Birojana Buddha (National Treasure No. There are 6 national treasures such as Seated Buddha statue (National Treasure No. 27), Dabotap Pagoda (Treasure No. 20), and Seokgatap Pagoda (National Treasure No. 21)　.

In the grounds of Bulguksa Temple, covering a total area of 120,000 pyeong, there are stone pagodas unique to Silla, such as Dabotap and Seokgatap, centering on Daeungjeon.

Dabotap Pagoda
The 10-meter-high Dabotap Pagoda made of granite is a stone pagoda built in the heyday of the Silla Dynasty and boasts excellent stone processing techniques and beautiful formative beauty as it has a unique shape that cannot be found in other Buddhist pagodas in the East. It is designated as National Treasure No. 20.

Seokgatap Pagoda
National Treasure No. 21 Seokgatap is a typical stone pagoda from the Unified Silla period, located on the right side of the Daeungjeon Hall of Bulguksa Temple, facing Dabotap.

If Dabotap Pagoda has feminine and delicate beauty, the 8.2-meter-high Seokgatap Pagoda is known to be a masculine stone pagoda that expresses simplicity and elegant strength, and is a beautiful stone pagoda with a sense of stability and balance in harmony with the height and body of each stylobate.

Iljumun Gate (prose Gate) and Cheonwangmun Gate are visible in front of you.

仏国寺の青雲橋と白雲橋

仏国寺の紫霞門

仏国寺 泛影楼

仏国寺の石橋

Cheonwangmun and Four Heavenly Kings.

仏国寺の雲版

仏国寺の木魚

If you go straight past Cheonwangmun Gate, you will see Cheongungyo Bridge and Baegungyo Bridge with 33 steps in front of you, and if you go up 33 steps, you will find Jahamun Gate, which allows you to enter the Buddha’s world.

불국사 강당

불국사 관음전

In the grounds of Bulguksa Temple, there are wooden fish, Unpan, and objects that are not pictured but represent Buddhist teachings, such as Beopgo and Beomjong.

In front of the Daeungjeon, where the Buddha is enshrined, there are the Dabotap Pagoda representing the past Buddha and the Seokgatap Pagoda representing the present Buddha standing side by side.

불국사 나한전

불국사 극락전

Behind Daeungjeon Hall are Musuljeon Hall, which is an auditorium, and Gwaneumjeon Hall, which houses Cheonsucheonan Gwaneum.

These are Nahanjeon Hall and Geungnakjeon Hall, where 16 Nahans are enshrined.The golden wild boar in front of Geungnakjeon Hall is popular with tourists.

On the left side of the main gate of Bulguksa Temple, there is a stone monument written World Heritage Bulguksa Temple, where many photos of Bulguksa Temple are taken.