Korea: From Petroglyphs to the Information Age

A picturesque 2-storey bridge over the sea in Busan is one of its most exquiste landmarks.

A very piquturesque district in Busan, which was originally founded by some refugees during the Korean War.

Breathtaking views of downtown Busan from the seaside Lotte Department Store. The department store, by the way, was included in the Guinness Book of Records: it houses the world's tallest indoor fountain.

Exciting journey above the sea with eye-catching views of the coastal Busan.

Most popular beach in Busan and a vivid resort district.

The largest seafood market in Korea, where you can see all kinds of marine creatures, both from the plant and animal worlds (and from the border worlds too!).

You can also eat deliciously at the market: fried or raw fish, as well as seafood, is served at the table in numerous restaurants in the market.

If you prefer something less exotic, we recommend the food court at the Lotte department store next door. The observation deck at the department store offers a magnificent view of Busan from a bird's eye view.

Garden of Morning Calm was founded by Mr. Han Sangkyeon in 1996. This private garden is rightfully recognized as one of the most beautiful in South Korea. The name comes from the poetic name of Korea - "Land of the Morning Calm". The founder and his team tried to introduce the natural beauty of Korea, the oriental mystique and the spirit of the Korean people to visitors.

The design of the garden focuses on curved lines, space, balance and asymmetry, unique natural beauty, classic elegance and the uniqueness of Korea.

During each of the four seasons - winter, spring, summer, autumn - you will find in the garden echoes of a particular "theme" of that season...

Cheomseongdae is one of the oldest observatories in the world (7th century). The tower of the observatory is full of symbolism: the total number of hewn stones from which it is built; the number of rows of these stones before and above the small window, the shape of the stones... Reasonable Silakians paid attention to everything.

Cheomseongdae was built under the reigning Queen Seondok - one of three in the history of Silla. The queen ended up in a drama that, of course, was filmed in Gyeongju.

The Buddha statue in this small temple in an artificial grotto is considered the most elegant in All of Korea! The grotto is located on the slope of Mount Tkhohamsan, where the winding serpentine of the mountain road leads.

The walk to the temple through the mountain forest from the parking lot takes about 15-20 minutes; depending on the weather, either a mysterious foggy landscape awaits us (fogs are not uncommon on this mountain), or breathtaking bird's-eye views of the thousand-year-old Gyeongju.

In the grotto, which is formally the hermitage of the Bulguksa temple, located below the slope, the dominant position is occupied by the above-mentioned statue of Buddha, sitting in a lotus position on a pedestal in the shape of a lotus. Around it at different heights are bas-reliefs and statues of bodhisattvas, arhats, Indra and Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings.

If the group agrees, we can go down the mountainside to the temple of Bulguksa.

The main Buddhist temple of United Silla, it is now a place of pilgrimage for many guests of Korea.

The temple was built in 774 under the leadership of the premier of the state of Silla, Kim Taesong. Legend has it that Bulguksa was dedicated to the parents of the current, so to speak, Kim Taesong. While Seokguram, the temple-hermitage under Bulguksa, was intended for Kim Taesung's parents from his previous incarnations.

In 1995, Bulguksa and Seokguram were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The main state Gyeongju temple from the Silla period, the "Temple of the Yellow Dragon", Hwanyeongsa, has not survived; however, we still have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the pagoda of a hermitage temple of Hwanyeongsa. The hermitage temple is called Punghwansa.

The peculiarity of the pagoda of Punghwansa is that it is built of stones, hewn in such a way that they resemble bricks in shape. What can you not do if you are not familiar with the technology (brick production, in this case)!

The only mound which inner parts are open to the public (though filled with replicas, it shows the inner construction of a Shilla mound)

Though made anew, it is a nice and quite picturesque place, especially at night.

Chogyesa Temple is located in the heart of the capital of South Korea - Seoul. Despite the small area, the temple is the central administrative temple of the largest school of Buddhism in Korea with the same name - "chogye".

Gyeongbokgung Palace became the first residence of Korea's new Joseon Dynasty in 1395.

During the war with Japan (1592-1598) the palace was almost completely destroyed; however, it was restored in the middle of the 19th century and again became the residence of the Korean kings.

The palace is the architectural center of the northern part of the city of Seoul and impresses both with its size and extraordinary symmetry.

You will not only be able to capture yourself against the background of classical palace architecture, but also hear an entertaining story from our guide about the history, palace culture, the customs of the royal family, the symbolic meaning of the material attributes of the palace.

Insadong is famous for the abundance of souvenir shops, traditional restaurants and tea houses, boutiques.

Insadong-kil Pedestrian Street is the central street of the area.

Often you can see street performances - traditional Korean samul-nori percussion quartet or martial arts tekkyon, taekwon-do or performances of youth groups in the fusion style, etc.

South Korean President Yoon Sogyeol decided to return to the people (although, strictly speaking, he never belonged to the people) the official residence of the presidents of the Republic of Korea. And, true to his word, he did so. in 2022, on May 10, he took office in the building of the Ministry of Defense, never once using Cheong Wa Dae.

We, ordinary people, citizens and non-citizens of the Republic of Korea, can now freely enjoy the presidential views. Inside some buildings, in particular, the main building of the residence, built in 1991, we can go and get acquainted with the interiors and history of Cheong Wa Dae.

The garden and park ensemble of the Former Presidential Palace deserves a separate ode and recommendations.

The complex of the central Gwanghwamun Square in front of the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace, which is the compositional center of the capital of Korea, offers amazing views of Seoul: on one side is the main residence of the kings of the Joseon state (now a museum). But along the  Sejong-daero Avenue, departing from the square, there are high-rise modern buildings: government, embassies, Kyobo - the largest bookstore in Korea. Further down the avenue we can see the Seoul City Hall and still further - the Great South Gate of Namdaemun (National Treasure No. 1).

To the northeast of Gyeongbokgung Palace lies the scenic hilly area of ​​Samcheon-dong. Due to the fact that the residence of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan was located north of Gyeongbokgung (and west of Samcheon-dong), development activity in Samcheon-dong is very limited. Thus, despite the unique location in the center of the capital of Korea, there are no high-rise buildings in this area, and the cost of land is relatively low. This feature gives the area a unique charm: art galleries have chosen it; cafes and restaurants; flea markets and boutiques of stylized Korean clothes; here you will see a large number of preserved Korean-style houses - hanok.

The name of the district comes from the name of the government office of the Kingdom of Joseon, Samcheon-jeong (also known as Seogyeok-jeon); Samcheon-jeong's activities included performing Taoist sacrifices to Heaven, Earth and Stars. Literally, the name translates as "Districts / quarter of three purity": "Clean (light) mountains and clean water lead to greater purity and kindness of the human soul."

During such serious campaigns of the ruling king, as, say, visiting the graves of his ancestors, the king had to stop somewhere on the way. In the Hwaseong fortress, such a travel palace has been preserved. Charming and small by the standards of Seoul, however, it is a real intricate maze, which we will dive into to get to know the history of King Jeongjo, his parents and grandfather, as well as the famous banquet he hosted in honor of the anniversary of his mother , Queen Hongyeong.

Hwasong Fortress was first built in 1794-1796. This is the first Korean fortress designed and constucted using European technology. The king Jeongjo planned to move the capital of Korea here once, but due to his early death his dream did not fulfill.

It is a unique museum in Korea specializing in petrogliphs. The museum is situated a short walk (about 1 km) from both the Bangudae and Cheonjeon-ri petrogliphs.

Not only the interior of the museum boasting a sophisticated media systems, but the modern and inspiring exterior make an inpression on the visitors.

The Cheongjeon-ri petroglyphs are located very close (about 2 km) from the Pangudae petroglyphs. Chronologically, they were the first to be discovered by a group of researchers in 1973.

In addition to the petroglyphs themselves, dating back to the Neolithic era, the rock has preserved a curious record of the Silla era on a hanmun.

The Pangude petroglyphs are the oldest depictions of whaling in the world. The rock paintings are so realistic that zoologists can even identify the type of animal from them! Whales, leopards, tigers, wild boars - only about 20 species of animals in 300 pictures carved on a rock about 8 by 5 meters in size.

Dinosaurs also left a legacy here, but directly, with their legs, so to speak: along the picturesque banks of the river, you can find real footprints of real dinosaurs!

The rock is located on the banks of the picturesque Daegokchon River, a tributary of the river. Taehwa, captivated with its rocky primitive landscapes of artists, poets and famous public figures not only of the Neolithic, but also of less distant eras - Silla, Goryeo and Joseon.

The first and largest Korean folk village in terms of area and exposition.

There are more than 260 buildings in the village, including houses of representatives of different classes, government agencies, pharmacies and mills, and craftsmen's workshops.

The village recreates in detail the atmosphere of rural life of the Joseon era. Buildings were brought from all regions of Korea: here you will also find houses made of volcanic tuff from about. Jeju (and the famous black pigs from there, by the way!), And thatched houses from the southern provinces of Korea, and the house of the provincial governor, and the Confucian village school. You can taste traditional Korean dishes at the village market.

The journey begins with a fascinating walk through the narrow streets surrounded by traditional Korean houses - hanoks. Each house is a living museum that reflects the unique style and architecture of ancient times.

Travelers hungry for knowledge can discover the craftsmanship of folk artisans.

But that's not all! This wonderful complex offers unique shows and concerts featuring traditional Korean dances, music and rituals.

Each show and concert is organized with love for details and leaves a unique impression. You will be delighted with beautiful costumes, incendiary rhythms and incredible talents of artists. The atmosphere will be filled with energy and delight, and you will find yourself a real witness to the beauty and splendor of Korean culture.