Sightseeing - Korea travel and tourism information

Oryukdo Lighthouse (오륙도 등대)

2020-02-26

130, Oryukdo-ro, Nam-gu, Busan
+82-51-607-6395

Oryukdo is a rocky island located in the oceanside of the Yongho-dong neighborhood. Depending on the tides, Oryukdo (“O” meaning “5”, “Yuk” meaning “6”) sometimes looks as if it is made of five or six islets. Several decades after the Busanhang Port opened (1876), a lighthouse was built (November 1937) in Batseom Island of Oryukdo to guide ships traveling to and from the island. Initially only 6.2 meters high, the lighthouse underwent renovations (completed in December 1998) and now stands tall at 27.5 meters. The lighthouse is home to an exhibition room showing photos of major lighthouses in Korea and boasts a stunning view of Busanhang Port as well as an unforgettable nightscape.

Seungdong Church (승동교회)

2020-04-02

7-1, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-732-2340

Seungdong Presbyterian Church was designated Tangible Cultural Asset No. 130 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on April 6, 2001. Originally known as “Gondanggol Church,” the church was established by Samuel Foreman Moore (1860-1906) in 1893. In those days, the church was known as a “baekjeong church” since it primarily drew Korea’s social underdogs such baekjeong (the butchers), the untouchable class of Joseon society.

Following a number of relocations and name changes (called “Gondanggol,” “Jungang,” and finally “Seungdong”) the church was moved to its current location in Insadong. After Moore died in 1906, Charles Allen Clark became the pastor of the church and Mongyang Yuh Woon-hyung, a key figure in the political history of Joseon, became active in the church. The church was attended by many other activists as well. In fact, the large student demonstration that took place during the March 1st Independence Movement in 1919 was organized by a group of young church members. The church once again made its mark on history with the establishment of the Joseon Theological Seminary in 1939.

Seungdong Church (B1-2F) covers a total of 660 square meters. No record has been found on its architect or builder, but the building is said to have been one of the more magnificent buildings in the area before its beauty was obscured by newer structures.

May 18 Democracy Square (5.18 민주광장)

2020-06-09

38, Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-613-2082

Stretching from the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Government Office to the Geumnam-ro area, this famous plaza is where the landmark May 18th Democratic Uprising took place. In May 1980, the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government office building was the headquarters of the civil resistance movement and the scene of a number of rallies. The plaza has been officially known as the May 18 Democracy Square since 1996.

Gyeongju Five Royal Tombs (경주 오릉)

2022-12-27

38-9, Geumseong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-750-8614

The Five Royal Tombs (called Oreung in Korean) have been officially designated Historic Site No. 172 and are the final resting places of four kings of the Park clan—King Park Hyeokgeose (founder of the Silla Kingdom), King Namhae, King Yuri, and King Jabi—and one queen (Queen Aryeong, wife of King Park Hyeokgeose).

To the east of the royal tombs lies Sungdeokjeon Shrine, which holds the ancestral tablet of King Park Hyeokgeose. Behind the shrine is the Aryeongjeong Well, said to be the birthplace of Queen Aryeong.

Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri and Busosanseong Fortress [UNESCO World Heritage] (관북리유적과 부소산성 [유네스코 세계유산])

2024-02-29

Gua-ri & Gwanbuk-ri, Buyeo-eup, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
+82-41-830-2880

Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri and Busosanseong Fortress are historical sites dating back to the Baekje period (BC 18-AD 660), when they served as the capital from 538 to 660 AD. Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri functioned as the royal palace where the king resided and governed during peacetime, while Busosanseong Fortress served as a defensive wall for wartime preparedness. Many Baekje historical relics have been excavated from these sites, and there is a virtual experience center called Sabido Fortress for visitors to explore, along with guided tour services available.

Gimhae Gujibong Peak (김해 구지봉)

2021-07-13

Gusan-dong, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
+82-055-331-0086

Gujibong Peak in Gusan-dong, Gimhae in Gyeongsangnam-do is believed to be the birthplace of King Suro, the founder of the Gaya kingdom. The peak was originally named Gusubong (“gu” meaning “turtle,” “su” meaning “head”) after its resemblance to the head of a turtle. The flat part of the peak (the turtle’s “head”) is home to the Tomb of King Suro. On the summit is a southern-style dolmen dating back to the 4th century BC that consists of 5 or 6 support stones and a large cover stone measuring 2.5m in diameter. The cover stone bears the inscription “Gujibongseok,” said to be written by Han Ho.

Gujibong Peak is considered a sacred place by the local people because, according to legend, it is the place where the creation of the Gaya Kingdom took place. During the Japanese colonial rule, the “neck” of the turtle was destroyed by the construction of a mountain road. Years later, a pedestrian road was built to rejoin the neck and restore the feng shui of the mountain.

Goryeong Janggi-ri Rock Art (고령 장기리 암각화)

2022-12-29

15-5, Araealteo-gil, Goryeong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-955-2201

Yangjeondong Rock Art (discovered in 1971) is a rock painting 3 meters high and 5.5 meters wide that vividly depicts the life and religion of the Prehistoric Age. Rock art from the time period was created on rocks or other planes considered to be sacred and usually carried a message of fertility. The artwork of Yangjeondong shows layered circles (symbolizing the sun and the moon), crosses (depicting the “life zone” of the tribe), and 17 masks. The artwork is considered to have been used for ceremonial purposes or farming events.

Tomb of Queen Consort of King Suro (김해 수로왕비릉)

2020-04-04

1, Garak-ro 190beon-gil, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
+82-55-338-1330

Tomb of Queen Consort of King Suro in Gusan-dong, Gimhae is the final resting place of Queen Heo, the Queen Consort of King Suro, the founder of Garak. The tomb dates all the way back to the Gaya dynasty and has been officially designated as Historic Site No. 74. Unlike many other ancient tomb mounds that are raised on flat land, Queen Heo's mound sits high upon a hill. In front of the tomb is Pasa Stone Pagoda, which its stones are known to have come from India.

Together with the Tomb of King Suro, the tomb preservation area was expanded in the 28th year of King Sejong’s reign (1446). Records indicate that the tombs were robbed over a century later during the Imjin War (1592-1598). The current headstone and plaque by the tomb was installed in the Joseon dynasty in the 25th year of King Injo's reign (1641).

Mokpo Gatbawi Rock (목포 갓바위)

2024-05-30

166-1 Namnong-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-273-0536

Located on the coast of Yonghae-dong in Mokpo, Gatbawi is a natural sandstone and tafoni formation near the mouth of the Yeongsangang River, where freshwater runs into the sea. Gatbawi is named after its shape, which is said to look like two men wearing traditional Korean hats called “gat” (“bawi” meaning “rock”). The rock is actually made of two individual formations: one measuring 8 meters tall and one 6 meters tall. Valued not only for its aesthetics, Gatbawi Rock is of high geological value as a “natural sculpture” that was formed as a result of years of weathering. The rock formation was officially recognized as a Natural Monument on April 27, 2009.

Jisandong Ancient Tombs (고령 지산동 고분군)

2020-02-10

San 23-1, Jisan-ri, Goryeong-eup, Goryeong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-950-6363

Goryeong was the old capital of Daegaya (42-562 AD), a city-state of the Gaya confederacy that once spanned the region now occupied by Gyeongsangnam-do Province to the south of the Korean peninsula. The city of Goryeong played such a central role in the development of the confederacy that many artifacts and historic sites of the Daegaya period can still be found there today.

Some of the most prominent landmarks are the 200 gobuns (ancient tombs) that lie along the southeastern slope of Jusan Mountain in Goryeong. In ancient times, the higher and larger a tomb, the higher the social status of the person buried inside. Given this tradition and historical evidence, the largest tomb in the south has been identified as Geumnim Wangneung (Royal Tomb of King Geumnim); the other large tombs are also presumed to be those of the kings of Daegaya. The large royal tombs (over 20m in diameter) dominate the mountain ridge (the highest point) while mid-sized and smaller tombs can be found on the mountain slopes and foothills.

Historical research on Daegaya began with the excavation and partial identification of the ancient tombs of Goryeong by research teams from Kyungpook National University and Keimyung University in 1977. Excavators discovered a great number of relics—gilt-bronze crowns, swords, armor, and trinkets of gold, silver, and jade—that shed light on the flourishing culture of Gaya.

To continue to encourage interest in the history and culture of Daegaya, officials of Goryeong-gun County established the Daegaya Royal Tomb Exhibit Hall at the foot of Jusan Mountain in Gobun-gun, Jisan-dong. The exhibition hall depicts the social structure of the era through ancient customs such as burying servants alive with their dead masters.

Sightseeing - Korea travel information