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Temples and shrines in Seoul


Temples and shrines in Seoul

  • Jongmyo Shrine ? Certainly the most famous shrine devoted to the royal family members of Korean dynasties. The grounds are a bit more walker-friendly than some of the palaces, admission is cheaper and they also have some interactive equipment available to learn about the rituals and ceremonies used to treat deceased royal family members. ₩1,000. Closed Tu.
  • Mount Inwang (인왕산 Inwangsan) ? (near subway Dongnimmun). This 336 m hill is home not only to the eponymous Inwang Temple (Inwangsa), but also Seoul's most famous shamanist shrine Guksadang (국사당). To get there, take Exit 2 and start climbing uphill following the "Inwang Temple" signs, through the huge construction site (as of 2006) and up through the temple gate. You'll see a map board and several paths, take the left staircase upward, past the bronze bell of Bongwonsa and you'll reach Guksadang. Behind it are several creeks with shamanist offerings and the bizarre rock formation known as the Zen Rocks; there are plenty of trails if you want to poke around, and the Seoul fortress wall can be seen running near the top of the hill. Be careful not to photograph or disturb any rituals you see being performed.
  • Jogyesa (조계사, 曹溪寺) ? The chief temple of the Jogye order of Buddhism, the dominant branch of Buddhism in Korea. As such, it is one of the most important modern Buddhist temples in the country.
  • BongEunSa (봉은사, 奉恩寺) ? Traditionally an important Buddhist temple with rich history in a rural outskirt of old Seoul, the temple is now the biggest, richest, and the most visited temple in Seoul as the area near the temple, GangNam, transformed from rice field backwater in 80s to the most ritzy and opulent borough in South Korea. The temple has impressive array of Buddhist buildings and sculptures, and it provides a quiet resting and pray place to tourists and locals alike in middle of skyscrapers and shopping miles.

  • The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Seoul


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    Seoul Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

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