Bulguksa Temple

Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea

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Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, is a masterpiece of 8th-century Silla Kingdom Buddhist architecture, constructed starting in 751 under Prime Minister Kim Daeseong on Mount Tohamsan slopes to honor his parents' spirits and completed in 774.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside nearby Seokguram Grotto features iconic stone pagodas like the graceful Dabotap and sturdy Seokgatap, elegant bridges such as Cheongun-gyo, and halls housing gilt-bronze Buddha statues, all exemplifying the golden age of Korean Buddhist art with precise symmetry and enduring stonework.

Burned during 16th-century invasions and restored multiple times, especially in the 1970s, it remains a head temple of the Jogye Order, drawing pilgrims and visitors to its serene pavilions and relics including one of the world's earliest woodblock prints.