Formerly the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC-935 AD), which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula between the 7th and 9th centuries, Gyeongju, located at the coast of the Sea of Japan, has a vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period, being sometimes known as one of the largest outdoor museums in the world. The protected areas, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, encompass a remarkable concentration of outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art, in the form of sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, and the remains of temples and palaces.
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