Kyongju

Kyongju

 

a city in South Korea, located in the province of Kyongsang-pukto (North Kyongsang). From the seventh through the tenth centuries it was the capital of the state of Silla.

Kyongju had a regular layout and was divided into 1,360 blocks. During the seventh century it was enclosed by a fortified wall. Remnants of the wooden walls have been preserved along with foundations of the palace, which was erected in the seventh century and was destroyed during the 16th century.

Situated in the environs of Kyongju are the temple ensembles of Pulguksa (eighth century, rebuilt in the 14th century) and Bondoksa (eighth century), Punhwangsatap pagoda (634), the Chomsongde astronomical observatory (seventh century), and the Sokkuram cave temple (742–64).