Gyeongju facts

Gyeongju in four facts

Capital of Silla for 992 years

From the founding of Silla in 57 BC, 56 kings ruled from here for 992 years. It was called Seorabeol or Gyerim then; the name Gyeongju dates from 935.

Sources · Gyeongju City · History

Four UNESCO World Heritage listings

Seokguram and Bulguksa (1995), the Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000), Yangdong Village (2010, Historic Villages of Korea) and Oksan Seowon (2019, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies) are all on the list.

Sources · Korea Heritage Service

Why the skyline is low: height limits

The old city and the land around its monuments sit in height-limit zones. In 2020 the downtown limit went from 20–25 m to 36 m, about 12 storeys.

Sources · Kyongbuk Maeil · 22 Nov 2020

Host of the 2025 APEC Leaders’ Meeting

Leaders of the 21 APEC economies met in Gyeongju from 31 October to 1 November 2025, the second time Korea hosted after Busan in 2005.

Sources · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · APEC 2025

Three Treasures

Treasures believed to protect the kingdom of Silla

• Great Buddha of Hwangnyongsa 황룡사 장육존상 皇龍寺丈六尊像
  The great Buddha statue that stood at Hwangnyongsa Temple
• Heaven-sent Jade Belt 천사옥대 天賜玉帶
  A jade belt King Jinpyeong is said to have received from heaven
• Nine-storey Pagoda of Hwangnyongsa 황룡사 구층목탑 皇龍寺九層木塔
  A wooden pagoda about 80 m tall at Hwangnyongsa · only the site remains

Three Marvels

Rare treasures handed down from Silla to Unified Silla

• Golden Ruler 금척 金尺
  A golden ruler said to have been given to Bak Hyeokgeose, Silla’s founder
• Jade Flute 옥적 玉笛
  A flute carved from jade
• Divine Bell of King Seongdeok 성덕대왕신종 聖德大王神鍾
  A bell cast in memory of King Seongdeok · Gyeongju National Museum

Eight Wonders

Eight strange sights told of since Unified Silla

• Floating Rock of Namsan 남산부석 南山浮石
  A rock on Namsan that seems to float
• Backward Sand of Muncheon 문천도사 蚊川倒沙
  Sand in the Muncheon stream that runs upstream
• Yellow Leaves of Gyerim 계림황엽 鷄林黃葉
  Gyerim Forest, whose leaves turn from summer
• Floating Weed of Anapji 압지부평 鴨池浮萍
  Duckweed floating on the pond at Donggung and Wolji
• Pine Shoots of Baengnyulsa 백률송순 栢栗松筍
  Pines at Baengnyulsa that sprout again when cut
• Resting Geese of Geumjangdae 금장낙안 金丈落雁
  The view from Geumjangdae, where even wild geese stop to rest
• Reflecting Pond of Bulguksa 불국영지 佛國影池
  Of all the pagodas, only Seokgatap is said not to show in Yeongji Pond
• White Pagoda of Nawon 나원백탑 羅原白塔
  The stone pagoda at Nawon-ri that always stays white

Timeline

City symbols

Flower

Forsythia
A thriving city of culture and travel · Since 1 Jan 1996

Tree

Pine
The unchanging spirit of the Hwarang · Since 1 Jan 1996

Bird

Magpie
A lucky bird that brings good news · Since 1 Jan 1996

Star

Mizar (Big Dipper)
Seen in the northern sky in every season · Since 5 Dec 2009

Fish

Brown sole
A local catch from Gyeongju’s coast · Since 7 Jun 2016

Dog

Donggyeong-i, the Gyeongju dog
A native breed with no tail or a short one · Natural Monument · Since 16 Apr 2025