Hwaeom Temple, located in Gurye, South Jeolla Province, is arguably one of the most beautiful temples in Korea. The temple was first established in 544 and enjoys a long history filled with destruction, reconstruction and renovations. It is filled with officially designated Treasures and National Treasures and it is unsurprisingly one of Dale Quarrington’s favorite temples. According to him, “It’s not every day that you’re in awe of a building or even a stone structure, but it’s not every day that you visit Hwaeom Temple.
Despite some of my colleagues encouraging me to take a trip abroad, I instead decided recently to explore Gurye, South Jeolla Province. This picturesque county is home to two magnificent temples that I couldn t resist visiting - Hwaeom Temple and Yeongok Temple. After a comfortable journey on a KTX train from Seoul, which took about two hours, I arrived in Gurye, ready to immerse myself in the beauty and serenity of these historic temples.
It s not every day that you re in awe of a building or even a stone structure, but it s not every day that you visit Hwaeom Temple. From the Iljumun at the entrance to the three-story stone pagoda up the hillside, and all of the Treasures and National Treasures in between, there is something to amaze the senses at every turn.