Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, Royal palace complex in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Donggung Palace is a royal residence featuring three traditional wooden pavilions positioned along the Wolji Pond in Gyeongju. The pavilions stretch across the approximately 200-meter-wide artificial water body, with an exhibition hall nearby displaying objects recovered from the site.
King Munmu of the Silla Dynasty commissioned this royal residence in 674 CE for the crown prince. The artificial pond was created at the same time as part of the complex.
The site blends Korean and Chinese building styles that you can see in the pavilions themselves. The wooden structures show how craftsmen worked during the Silla period.
The grounds are lit after dark and open to visitors until 10 PM. Your admission gives you access to the pavilions and the exhibition hall where recovered items are displayed.
Underwater excavations in the 1970s uncovered around 33,000 Silla Dynasty artifacts preserved in the pond, including gold crowns and Buddhist sculptures. These treasures had rested below the water surface for centuries before being recovered.
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