- Address: Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
- Phone: +82 54-745-6835
A certain part of tourists, resting in South Korea , visits the same expensive attractions for the soul every year. The national treasure of the country - the Buddhist temple of Pulgux is an important and popular place for pilgrims. One of the most hidden parts of it is the carefully guarded grotto of Sokkuram.
Description of the cave
Sokkuram is a real temple in the rock. Territorially it is located to the east of the main Buddhist temple, about 4 km in the direction of Mount Thohamsan. The stone structure is located at 750 m above sea level and has access to the waters of the Sea of Japan. The original name of the grotto, according to historical chronicles, is the Sokpulsa, which in Korean means "the temple of the stone Buddha." And the truth is, the divine statue is the central and main internal structure.
Historians argue that the construction of the temple was conducted from 742 to 774 during the reign of the Kingdom of Silla. Equipment and decoration of the temple of Sokkuram was carried out under the control of Prime Minister Kim Daxon, but before the completion of all the works he did not live. The decorated grotto has been listed in the list of national treasures of Korea (24th place) since 1962, and since 1995 it has been part of the main temple of Pulgux and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays the grotto is accessible for the tourist review and makes a big competition to other famous sights of the Republic of Korea.
What to see?
The cave temple of Sokkuram is a rare and unique phenomenon of its kind, since there are very few granite rocks that come to the surface in South Korea.
Grotto symbolically tells about the incorporeal journey of the soul to Nirvana:
- The path of pilgrims and tourists begins at the foot of Mount Tohamsan. On the way to the sanctuary it is possible to freshen up: in a decorated spring fountain, ladles for drinking carefully swim.
- Once inside the granite rock, you will see the main hall - the sky, but before that you need to go through the "ground" through the front hall and corridor.
- In the heavenly hall you are greeted by a huge three-meter statue of Buddha sitting on the throne - it is carved from stone. The standard pose of the lotus symbolizes peace and tranquility. The dome of the rotunda itself is 6.84-6.58 meters in diameter. There are 15 panels surrounding the Buddha with the image of the oldest Indian gods, arhat and bodhisattva. Complement the entire composition of 10 statues placed near the walls.
During the construction of the granite grotto, an architectural model of the golden section was used. The ceiling of the temple of Sokkuram is decorated with lotus flowers, among which you can also see crescents.
Like many ancient objects of the religious heritage of South Korea, the granite grotto Sokuram was repeatedly reconstructed and reconstructed. Because of this, the exact scheme of the very first version of the temple is still unknown. There are periodic scientific and archaeological research. Nowadays the entire interior interior has been fenced off from visitors by glass. Out of respect for the shrine, tourists are asked not to take photos and video.
How to get to Sokkuram?
Prior to the approaches to the temple of Bulguks, you can get on the city bus or taxi, then to the grotto of Sokkuram you have to walk only. You can do it yourself or as part of a tour group.