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24 Stunning Buddhist Temples in Korea You Can Visit
There are around 900 traditional Buddhist temples in Korea inviting one and all in for quiet meditation and calm surroundings. Ranging in size with some only consisting of a few buildings while others have dozens, they all have one thing in common and that is how stunning they are. From the temples that sit smack dab in the middle of the city to ones that require a hike a couple hours into lush mountains, they are all intricately painted and adorned with gorgeous religious relics inside and out. Some look out at oceans and some look out onto valleys. Some have statues that tower high above everything around and some…
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See The Beauty of Seoknamsa Temple in Ulsan
Seoknamsa Temple (석남사-울산) sits on the southern side of the Gaji mountain range in Ulsan, Korea and is one of the four major Buddhist temples of the Gajisan Provincial Park. Taking a break from our mountainside camping site on Munboksan Mountain recently, we went to this beautiful Korean temple in Ulsan to see something nearby. It was easily accessible and just gorgeous. Take a trip outside of Ulsan, Korea and see what you can see! (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you. Thanks for the support!) Basic Info Address:…
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Korean Temples: Art, Architecture, and History by Dale Quarrington
If you’ve ever wanted more information about some statue, artistic work or just the architecture of a Buddhist temple you passed along the way in Korea, chances are you stumbled upon Dale Quarrington’s website. It’s one of the few sites with such information available in English. Dale Quarrington recently published his second book on the religious sites that have captured his curiosity and intrigue while living in South Korea. Much like his website, the book aims to provide information little known to English speaking foreigners and hopefully will give people the oomph to get up and out and see the religious relics and sites that have caught his attention. For…
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Haedong Yonggung Temple & The Seaside Views In Busan
Buddhist temples are not terribly difficult to stumble upon while in Korea. There are temples in the middle of Seoul daring those that enter to just try and find quiet solitude and there are temples dotting the mountains across the country so any hike becomes that much more interesting with the addition of a tour of one. Rarely, though, do you find a seaside temple in Korea. Haedong Yonggung Temple (해동용궁사), which means Korean Dragon Palace Temple, is probably the most popular and widely known seaside temple in South Korea and it truly does live up to the hype that brings so many visitors to its gates in Busan, Korea.…
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Seokguram Grotto: Seoul’s Version
Seokguram Hermitage (경주 석굴암) is one of those places that makes it onto every list of top 10 temples, Buddhist sites or wondrous views while in Korea. If you haven’t heard about it yet, head over to my friend Dale’s website and read more about it there. As I’ve read the name and heard it again and again, though haven’t yet been the site myself, I recognized it when I came across the name in Korean as I sat on the side of Mt. Inwang in Seoul. Seokguram… Seokguram (인왕산 석굴암), when I realized why I recognized the name it made me all the more confused as to why there…
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Dongrimsa Temple in Gimhae, South Korea
Sitting just 400 meters away from the more popular Eunhasa Temple on Sineosan Mountain, or Fish of the Gods Mountain, is Dongrimsa Temple (동림사). As it is smaller and was quieter without the people milling around on Lunar New Year, it felt as if we’d arrived to a shop afterhours. Also said to be from the time of King Suro in the Gaya Kingdom, it was supposedly established by King Suro’s wife’s, Heo Hwangok, brother, monk Jangyuhwasang. It features a tall statue of Jijang-bosal, the God of the Afterlife, in the courtyard surrounded by six smaller statues of Jijang-bosal that are the most telling feature of the temple. The statue is rather…
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Jeju Island: Why You Should Visit Yakcheonsa Temple
There are many beautiful sites on Jeju Island to visit and among them is the gorgeous Yakcheonsa Temple (약천사). This beautiful Buddhist temple on Jeju Island is not old in any sense of the word though. Located on the south western coast of Jeju Island, surrounded by other tourist hot spots, it’s an easy addition to any Jeju itinerary and a great place to take a rest. If you’re staying in Seogwipo City, this is a must-see when you visit. Here is all of the information you need to visit Yakcheonsa Temple: (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get…
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Pyochungsa Temple In The Yeongnam Alps
Pyochungsa Temple has been renamed several times but has not lost its luster. Though the paint was cracking it was pleasant to see a temple that showed its age. The temple is located on Jaeyaksan, a mountain in the Yeongnam Alps range that runs through the districts of Ulsan, Miryang and Cheongdo in Gyeongsangnam-do in the south of the country. This particular mountain offers sights ranging from waterfalls to temples and even has an Ice Valley, though I haven’t seen it. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your…
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Guinsa Temple’s Unique Buildings in Danyang, Korea
There are Buddhist temples across the country of Korea and Guinsa Temple (구인사) in Danyang is definitely one of the most beautiful to see in person. Guinsa Temple is one of the most unique temples in Korea as it towers above visitors walking up the mountain paths to see it. And, if you’re one of those people that says, “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” you are most definitely wrong. Go to this beautiful temple in Korea, see it from bottom to top and back down again and if you have the time, join their temple stay program and learn about Korean Buddhism and culture. Plan your trip…