Bulguksa Temple [UNESCO World Heritage] | Attraction Guide

Bulguksa Temple was founded in the 15th year of King Beopheung of Silla according to his mother's will to pray for the country's peace and the people’s well-being. In 751, the 10th year of King Gyeongdeok, Prime Minister Kim Dae-seong rebuilt the temple, establishing it at its current scale. Most buildings and cultural assets were burned or looted during the Imjin War. Until before 1920, only some buildings and pagodas remained, but restoration and repairs have since been carried out. Today, Bulguksa is a large temple housing cultural properties, including seven national treasures. About 3km away on a ridge is Seokguram Grotto, centered on the seated Buddha statue facing the East Sea, regarded as a masterpiece of the East. Bulguksa and Seokguram were registered as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage on December 6, 1995, recognized domestically and internationally as the essence of Silla Buddhist culture.