Gyeongsangbuk-do

Gwisinsa Temple – Gimje (귀신사 – 김제) – Tel +82-63-548-0917 Gwisinsa, located in Cheongdo Village, Geumsan-myeon, Gimje-si, is now a temple of the Jogye Order, but once belonged to the Haweom Order. The temple is widely believed to have been established by the great monk Uisang Daesa during the 16th year of King Munmu (676)….

Nabawi Catholic Church (화산천주교회(나바위 성당)) – Homepage www.nabawi.kr (Korean only) – Tel +82-63-861-9210 Nabawi Catholic Church is located in Hwasan-ri, Mangseong-myeon in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do Province and is known as the oldest surviving catholic church in the Jeolla-do region. The church was built in 1906 to commemorate the return of priest Kim Dae-geon in 1845 (Joseon…

Namwon Aircraft & Space Observatory (남원항공우주천문대) – Homepage www.namwon.go.kr – Tel +82-63-620-6900 Chosen as a government funded project, Namwon Aircraft & Space Observatory was granted 4.6 billion won by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning in 2006 for project development. The three-story observatory, with a total area of 6,532 square meters, has an…

Wibongpokpo Falls (위봉폭포) – Homepage www.wanju.go.kr – Tel +82-63-290-3930 Located in the eastern section of Wibongsanseong Fortress, Wibongpokpo Falls is a two-tiered waterfall measuring 60 meters high. The strangely-shaped rocks and thick groves of trees that border the cascading falls make for such a magical scene that it comes as no surprise that the waterfall…

Wibongsa Temple – Wanju (위봉사 (완주)) – Tel +82-63-243-7657 Wibongsa Temple is located past Mujigaemun Gate (Rainbow Gate) and Wibong Village and is a major temple in the Honam region that once oversaw 52 branch temples. Said to be built by Monk Seoam in 604 (the 5th year of King Mu of Baekje), the surviving…

Iksan Ipjeomni Ancient Tombs (익산 입점리 고분) – Homepage www.iksan.go.kr/tour (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) www.cha.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) – Tel +82-63-859-5875 The Iksan Ipjeomni Ancient Tombs are a group of ancient Baekje-era tumuli located 100 meters above sea level on the northeast brow of Chilmokjae Hill in Ipjeom-ri, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do. The burial ground covers…

Jinpo Maritime Theme Park (진포해양테마공원) – Homepage www.gunsan.go.kr/tour (Korean only) – Tel +82-63-454-7873 The Jinpo Maritime Theme Park opened in 2008 to commemorate Jinpodaecheop, the sweeping victory of Jinpo in the naval combat against the Japanese forces led by General Choi Mu-seon in 1380. Constructed with a scenic backdrop of the local port and the vast…

Wanju Songgwangsa Temple (송광사(완주)) – Homepage songgwangsa.or.krwww.wanju.go.kr – Tel +82-63-243-8091 Songgwangsa Temple in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do has a unique history that spans a period of over a thousand years. For many years the temple lay incomplete until Monk Bojo Chejing began reconstruction in the 7th year of King Gyeongmun of Silla (AD 867). The temple was…

Mireuksa Temple Site [UNESCO World Heritage] (익산 미륵사지 [유네스코 세계문화유산]) – Homepage www.iksan.go.kr/tour iksan.museum.go.kr – Tel +82-63-859-3873 Mireuksa was the largest Buddhist temple of the ancient Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-AD 660). According to Samgukyusa (historical records published in 1281), King Mu (30th king of Baekje, in power AD 600-641) and his wife Queen Seonhwa were…

Gunsan Dongguksa Temple (동국사(군산)) – Tel +82-63-462-5366 Dongguksa Temple was built by Japanese monk Seoneungbulgwan in 1909. The temple was run by Japanese monks for 36 years during the Japanese occupation, reverting to Korean jurisdiction when Korea was liberated in 1945. The historical temple is the only surviving Japanese-style temple in the nation. The temple…