Gyeongju

Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean peninsula at its height between the 7th and 9th centuries, for close to one thousand years, where it was known as Sŏrabŏl. According to Samguk yusa, Sŏrabŏl had more than 170,000 households or between 800,000 and 900,000 inhabitants.

Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country, and Gyeongju was the fourth largest city in the world. A vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls". Among such historical treasures, Seokguram grotto, Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas and Yangdong Folk Village are designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.