Bongeunsa Temple봉은사

At a glance

Bongeunsa traces its history to 794, when the monk Yeonhoe founded it under the name Gyeonseongsa. In 1498 Queen Jeonghyeon, consort of King Seongjong, rebuilt it on a large scale beside the king's tomb, Seolleung, and renamed it Bongeunsa. In the Joseon period it was the leading temple of the Seon school, and in modern times it housed an institute that translated Buddhist scriptures and trained monks. Today it runs templestays, a Buddhist college and other programs in the heart of Gangnam.

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Bongeunsa Temple · 4 tours & tickets

1. GetYourGuideBongeunsa and Gangnam gourmet night tourAbout 3 hours in Gangnam in the evening, with a guided visit to Bongeunsa and food stops.Book
2. GetYourGuidePrivate tour: Gyeongbokgung, Jongmyo, COEX, BongeunsaAn 8-hour private tour of Gyeongbokgung, Jongmyo Shrine, COEX and Bongeunsa Temple, with entry tickets included.Book
3. KKdaySinging bowl & Bongeunsa healing walkA 3-hour English-led session in Gangnam: a singing-bowl relaxation class followed by a mindful walk through Bongeunsa Temple.Book
4. GetYourGuideDMZ, suspension bridge, Starfield & Bongeunsa (private)A private 9-hour day from Seoul: the DMZ, the Gamaksan suspension bridge, then a guided half hour at Bongeunsa Temple and Starfield COEX Mall.Book

Places to stay nearby

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Map

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Tips

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  COEX, with SEA LIFE COEX Aquarium, is just across the road, so the temple makes a calm break from mall sightseeing.

Nearby

SEA LIFE COEX AquariumA large aquarium inside the COEX complex in Gangnam, home to about 40,000 animals and known for its many kinds of sharks.Starfield Library & COEXA cathedral of books under 13 m shelves, a giant mall and aquarium, and a 1,200-year-old temple right across the road.Jamsil Baseball StadiumOne of Korea's signature ballparks, opened in 1982 and shared by the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears through the KBO season.Ttukseom Hangang ParkA Han River park in eastern Seoul with a rose garden, water sports in summer and the tube-shaped Jabeolle gallery over the riverbank.