Visit the 4 best temples in Seoul

Traditional Asian culture, rich in temples and the like, is not lacking even in South Korea. Korean temples are mainly Buddhist and in the same metropolitan city of Seoul, we can find several. 

There is something for all tastes: large and small, anonymous or more flashy. In this article we recommend some of the most beautiful temples in Seoul, not to be missed if you are traveling to the Korean capital.

Jogyesa 

The first temple we tell you about is Jogyesa. It is centrally located, not far from the Gyeongbok-gung royal palace, and is the most famous in the city. It is easily accessible by public transport and a striking feature are the various gift shops linked to Buddhism that surround it, making us understand that we are on the right path. It is always decorated with colored lanterns and is therefore very impressive in the evening when they are lit. In the courtyard of the temple, there is also a pagoda tree, typical of many Buddhist temples and considered a good omen.

Bongeunsa 

Bongeunsa is also one of the most famous temples in Seoul and is located in the Gangnam District. It is very famous both for its size and for the large Buddha statue inside, which overlooks the super-technological city creating a contrast between old and new. During some hours it is possible to see a monk ringing the large bell suspended in one of the temple pavilions with a large wooden clapper and listening to the prayers of the monks that are broadcast with loudspeakers throughout the courtyard, creating a suggestive scenario.

Suguksa 

Suguksa is one of the less famous temples in Seoul but not to be ignored for its different style than the others. This temple, in fact, instead of the usual green and red colors, is completely painted with gold paint. So if the Korean temples all look alike, this one does its best to stand out and give a different visual sensation. It cannot be reached by metro, but you can easily get there by bus.

Gilsangsa 

Gilsangsa is located in the middle of a residential area and is a very large temple made up of several buildings. It is not an ancient temple, it is quite recent, built in 1997 in place of a former luxury restaurant . In addition to rooms dedicated to meditation , it also includes cultural rooms that host small exhibitions. It also includes a tea room building, where you can relax with a cup of tea while soaking up the peace of the temple.

Curiosities about Korean temples

As you may have noticed, the aforementioned temple names all end with - sa It is in fact a hanja deriving from the Chinese which means temple, and is a character present in the names of all temples.

Korean temples, during the Bucheonim oshinnal , that is Buddha's birthday, are all decorated with white and colored lanterns. Not only that, even the surrounding streets leading to the temple are decorated in this way, so as to show the way. Some temples are already adorned with lanterns throughout the year, but they too increase the number during Buddha's birthday. It is a very important holiday across the country and usually falls between April and May, varying depending on the lunar calendar.

Finally, you may be interested in the fact that many temples in Korea offer the possibility of temple-stay, which is an experience that allows you to live in a temple as a Buddhist monk for one or more days. Although it would be more impressive, there is no need to go to a temple hidden in the mountains if you don't feel like it. In fact, many Seoul temples, including all those we have mentioned in this article, allow those who want to have this experience. You also don't have to worry if you don't speak Korean because there is the possibility of living this experience even if you only speak English, following a program designed especially for foreign tourists.