Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are located in Gyeongju City, the old capital city of the Silla Dynasty. Donggung Palace was where princes used to stay, discuss national issues with vassals, or welcome national guests with hospitality. When it becomes spring, the palace is surrounded by beautiful mustard flowers, lotus flowers in summer, and pink muhly grasses in autumn, becoming a wonderful photo zone for visitors. The palace becomes even more famous at night because of its beautiful lighting reflecting on the pond. Please come and enjoy the majestic appearance and graceful beauty of the palace, which has never changed even after a millennium. 

A place where princes stayed and national events were held

In the 8th century, Gyeongju was the heart of the Korean Peninsula and a global city of trade. It is because Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Dynasty that conquered Goguryeo and Baekje, the other dynasties of the time, unifying the peninsula and lasting for a millennium. During the Silla Dynasty, Gyeongju traded with various cities in China, Europe, and Africa. This gorgeous capital of the Silla Dynasty, the kingdom of the millennium, still has many invaluable cultural assets across the city. For example, Gyeongju has five world cultural heritages registered by UNESCO, including Daereungwon Ancient Tombs, where the ancient kings rest in peace; Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, the symbol of Korean Buddhism; and Wolseong Fortress, an old palace site. 

Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are the only places where you can indirectly guess the original royal palace of the kingdom of the millennium. Unfortunately, Wolseong Fortress, the original royal palace, was destroyed, but Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond soothe the loss of modern Koreans who cannot see the brilliant appearance anymore. Donggung Palace was built by the order of King Munmu of Silla, who unified the Korean Peninsula, to boast of the power of the Silla Dynasty. It is said that the palace used to have an artificial lake inside with beautiful flowers and rare birds and animals at the time. Hence, princes of the Silla Dynasty used to stay at Donggung Palace, and some parties were held to celebrate national happy events or treat national guests from foreign countries with hospitality. 

Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, the places that used to hold fancy parties, were once called “Anapji,” which means a pond where now only wild gooses and ducks come. It was because the places were abandoned for hundreds of years after the collapse of the Silla Dynasty, and some Korean poets saw it, writing a poem, “Alas! To where the gorgeous palace has gone? Now, it is only the home of wild gooses and ducks.” The nickname, “Anapji,” is made after the two Chinese words written in this poem: an (雁, wild goose) and ap (鴨, duck) (ji means a pond). The excavation and investigation of Anapji Pond, which now has only the Imhaejeon Hall, started in 1975. The investigation discovered 26 sites, including a hall (a passage built with a roof between buildings so people can walk through without getting rained), and 24,000 relics. As they found a piece of earthenware engraved with the name “Wolji,” Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond could finally reclaim their original names. 

An alluring night view under the shining moonlight

After a long restoration, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond could restore their original appearance. Wolji Pond has a wide area of about 15,600㎡. Hence, you can’t see the whole pond from any direction. There’s a trail along the curved pond. The pond is surrounded by forests of bamboo, pine trees, willow trees, forsythias, quince trees, and cherry trees. The area is adorned with beautiful flowers by seasons, making it more interesting for you to take a walk around.

At dusk, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond show off their peak of beauty. When the lights are turned on around the Imhaejeon Hall and old buildings, their illuminated appearance is reflected on the pond. Hence, you may indirectly feel the brilliant appearance of the kingdom of the millennium that was always bright every night. They are truly the best tourist attraction to enjoy the night view of Gyeongju.

There are so many tourist attractions of the Silla Dynasty clustered around Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. For example, Daereungwon Ancient Tombs, Cheomseongdae Observatory, Gyerim Forest, Stone Ice Storage, Gyochon Village, and the Gyeongju National Museum are only 20 minutes away from Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond by walk.