Once upon a time, Gyeongju was the capital of the mighty Silla kingdom, one of the world’s longest running and most powerful dynasties that, at its peak, ruled over two thirds of the Korean peninsula. At the heart of the kingdom sat the capital city of Gyeongju.
Nearly a thousand years later many of the Buddhist temples, royal tombs, and ancient artifacts remain (or at least portions of them — many were burned to the ground and rebuilt over the past century or so). The concentration of national treasures, historically significant buildings and Buddhist relics created a historic area that is collectively recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
Among the most popular of the sites is Bulguksa Temple.
We spent a fall afternoon exploring the Buddhist temple. The leaves were just starting to burst with full autumnal color. Pear and persimmon trees practically dripped with juicy fruit begging to be picked yet remained tantalizingly out of reach.
On a late Sunday afternoon the temple was filled with plenty of tourists and yet there will still quiet moments to be had.
Bulguk” means “land of Buddha” and as such every single statue, image, animal and architectural element held a deeper meaning. Staircases, referred to as “cloud bridges,” represented the connection between heaven and earth. Brightly colored dancheong patterns decorated every surface illustrating a Buddhist vision of heaven. Stone lions, carved dragons, and wooden fish, lotus flowers, cloud shapes were common Buddhist symbols found throughout the temple.
We walked 33 steps up (over?) a cloud bridge, through a gate and into one of the main courtyards where two iconic stone temples and large golden Buddha were located. 
We continued through courtyards and corridors until we encountered an extremely steep set of steps (bridges?) that led to the top of the temple where we found a small shrine that contained a Bodhisattva of Perfect Compassion, dedicated to the welfare of all living things.
This seemed to be one of the more popular sites, or at least a popular place to construct mini stone towers from pebbles and rocks.
Huge golden Buddha 
Door gods offering protection. (I think)
cloud bridges aka stairs
My favorite part of Bulguksa was at the very top, peering over the stone walls while watching the sun set through the changing autumn leaves. From that vantage point, religious or not, there was without doubt a definite sense of serenity and peace.
DETAILS
Bulguksa Temple | COST: 4,000 KRW/adults, 2,000KRW/parking | DESCRIPTION: Huge Buddhist temple housing many national artifacts and is one of the most popular sites in Gyeongju. Combined with nearby Seokguram Grotto these two Buddhist structures form a religious and cultural complex that is recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage site. We didn’t have time to visit the Grotto but both the Grotto and Bulguksa are built within a mountain so there is some light hiking up stairs or inclines to visit. Allow at least an hour and a half for Bulguksa. | GOOD FOR: History buffs, Buddhists, adults. I don’t have kids but if I did, I’m not sure this would be very interesting to them. Maybe older kids? | FACILITIES: Plenty of bathrooms, parking, cafe, and several decent gift shops. | VERDICT: Worth a visit for sure. If you’re in the area you can probably spend a weekend cramming in all of Gyeongju’s historical sites. This place gets really crowded so stick to early mornings or late afternoons. I would also probably avoid the summer months when the combination of tourists and heat is my idea of hell. I am curious to visit in the winter, especially after a good heavy snow. Maybe I’m a weirdo though. | TIP: For a truly unique experience, you can book a daily temple stay here! (Site is in Korean but I bet if you email them someone will reply in English. The main templestay website (in English) is another good resource.
