PR

[Gyeongju] Walking Bulguksa Temple: The Pagoda on the 10-Won Coin and a Pond of Water Lilies

大雄殿の前庭に建つ多宝塔（手前）と釈迦塔（奥）。多宝塔は10ウォン硬貨のデザインになった塔 Travel

Down the mountain from Seokguram lies Bulguksa, its World Heritage twin — begun in the same year, 751, by the same Gim Dae-seong, and the heart of Silla Buddhist culture. Walking a temple that the kings of the thousand-year capital patronized, you can feel the era’s ambition rising out of every stone.

Entrance gate of Bulguksa Temple with its calligraphy plaque, Gyeongju
Stone marker engraved with World Heritage Bulguksa Temple

It was a Monday, yet the grounds had a steady flow of visitors. Locals say tourism has picked up since Gyeongju hosted the APEC summit in 2025.

Temple map board of Bulguksa showing Dabotap, Seokgatap and the main halls

Meeting the 10-Won Coin Pagoda in Person

In the forecourt of the main hall stand two stone pagodas: Seokgatap, plain and powerful, and Dabotap, layered with delicate ornament. Dabotap is the pagoda engraved on Korea’s 10-won coin — arguably the most famous pagoda in the country. There is a peculiar delight in watching a line drawing you have seen on pocket change become a three-dimensional thing in front of you.

Dabotap pagoda in front of Daeungjeon hall at Bulguksa — the pagoda depicted on the Korean 10-won coin — with Seokgatap behind
Daeungjeon, the main hall of Bulguksa Temple, behind its stone lantern

Stacking Stones, Watching Lilies

Behind the halls we found a stretch of ground covered in countless small stone stacks, piled up by visitors with their wishes. We added one stone each, as a family — the few breath-held seconds spent balancing it felt oddly close to prayer.

Countless small stone stacks piled by visitors at Bulguksa Temple

The garden on the way out deserves its own mention: an arched stone bridge mirrored in a pond, willows overhead, and, in August, water lilies in quiet bloom. The contrast between the grand halls and this stillness is the temple’s finest trick.

Garden pond at Bulguksa with an arched stone bridge and willow reflected in the water
Water lily blooming on the pond at Bulguksa in August

Notes from the Day

  • Bulguksa was begun in 751 by Gim Dae-seong and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995 together with Seokguram Grotto.
  • The highlight is the pair of stone pagodas before the main hall: the austere Seokgatap and the ornate Dabotap — the latter is the pagoda engraved on Korea’s 10-won coin.
  • The gardens are lovely too; water lilies bloom on the pond in August. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
  • Crowds have reportedly grown since Gyeongju hosted the APEC summit in 2025 — even a weekday had a steady stream of visitors.
  • Hours and details on the official Gyeongju tourism site — as of my visit.

Two World Heritage sites down, appetites up — into central Gyeongju for a bowl of milmyeon, the wheat-noodle cousin of Korean cold noodles.

Visited in August 2026. Prices and details are as of my visit.

Comments

＜PR＞