Girimsa Temple

Girimsa is the most secluded of Gyeongju's major temples, sitting in a narrow valley on the western slopes of Hamwolsan Mountain about 15 kilometres from the city centre. It was founded in the seventh century and expanded into a large complex in 643 CE by the monk Wonhyo. Today it houses about 80 resident monks and functions as a serious meditation monastery.

The main hall, Daejeokgwangjeon, is an imposing Joseon-period structure with a painted ceiling and three large gilt Buddha figures. The surrounding buildings include a drum tower, a bell pavilion, and several smaller shrines scattered up the hillside. In autumn the maple trees that cover the valley slopes turn brilliant orange and red, and the temple is a favourite destination for Koreans escaping the city. The journey there — bus from central Gyeongju or taxi along a winding mountain road — is part of the experience.

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The name Girimsa means "temple in the forest of Ki," and the forest has barely changed. The valley approach through pine forest follows a stream lined with moss-covered stones; the temple buildings emerge from the trees without warning, their ochre walls and grey roof tiles blending perfectly into the hillside. Unlike most Korean temples, Girimsa was not destroyed by the Japanese invasion of 1592 and retains several buildings from the Joseon period.

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