Gameunsa Temple Site (Gyeongju)

Driving from central Gyeongju towards the East Sea, you will spot two huge stone pagodas standing side by side at the edge of the fields, below a low hill. Every temple building has gone and only foundation stones remain, yet the site still tells the story of a king who wanted to protect his country even after death. Gameunsa means "temple of gratitude", a son's thanks to his father.

History: the king who became a sea dragon

King Munmu, who unified the Three Kingdoms, began building a temple near the East Sea to ward off Japanese raiders with the power of the Buddha. He left instructions that after his death he should be cremated and buried at sea so he could become a dragon and guard the kingdom, and his remains were laid at Daewangam, a rock just offshore. His son King Sinmun carried on his father's wish and completed the temple in 682, the year after he took the throne, naming it Gameunsa.

Together with Hwangnyongsa and Sacheonwangsa, Gameunsa was one of the temples that protected the state. Nobody knows exactly when it fell into ruin. Based on excavations in 1959 and over two years from 1979, the foundations were exposed and laid out as you see them today.

What to see

• East and West Three-Storey Pagodas (National Treasure): early Unified Silla pagodas assembled from dozens of stone blocks, among the largest stone pagodas in Korea. Including the iron finial, they reach about 13 metres. They are the earliest datable example of the twin-pagoda layout, with two identical towers facing each other.
• Main hall site: an unusual structure survives beneath the floor, with long stone beams laid across an empty space. One interpretation is that it allowed King Munmu, now a sea dragon, to come and rest.
• Stone beams with taegeuk patterns: in front of the main hall site lie stones carved with taegeuk (yin-yang) swirls and geometric patterns. They are easy to miss, so look for them.
• Yongdam pond: a pond outside the stone embankment south of the middle gate. When the temple was built, seawater is thought to have reached almost to its gate.

Layout and later history

Gameunsa follows the twin-pagoda plan: one pagoda to the east and one to the west, with the middle gate, main hall and lecture hall lined up on the axis between them. Wing buildings linking the main hall to the corridors are thought to have influenced the slightly later Sacheonwangsa. Before restoration, most of the gate, corridor and main hall sites were fields and scrub, and houses stood on the northern corridor and lecture hall sites. There is no record of when the temple vanished, but experts believe it burned around the time of the Imjin War. The stones scattered around the main hall site probably came from the hall itself or other buildings.

Good to know

When the two pagodas were dismantled for repair, sarira reliquaries were found inside. The gilt-bronze containers, shaped like tiny buildings, are famous for their fine craftsmanship, and those from both the east and west pagodas are designated Treasures. They are now kept in museums.

Tripto tips

• Access: open year-round and free.
• Parking: a free car park holds about 30 cars.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Nearby: the Tomb of King Munmu (Daewangam) can be seen from the beach about 1.4 km away; visit both to follow the whole story.
• Photos: early morning or late afternoon light throws long shadows from the pagodas. Please stay outside the railings around the towers.