Gyeongju

Gyeongju was the ancient royal capital of Silla, whose tombs, temples and monuments endure amid the surrounding hills. On the slopes of Mount Toham stands Bulguksa, one of the great temples of the old kingdom. During the Japanese invasion in 1593, weapons hidden in a temple building were discovered and the Japanese set fire to the complex. Rebuilding began in 1604, and the temple was repaired some forty times before 1805.