Gyeongju, a city of culture and tourism, was the ancient capital during the 1,000-long history of Shilla. There are many historical sties in Gyeongju, including 24 national treasures and 45 other treasures.

In the Namsan in particular, located in the middle of Gyeongju, there are 115 Buddhist temples, 80 stone statues, 90 stone Buddhist images, and 35 treasures designated as the province's cultural heritage. This includes the Bulguksa and Seokgulam, which were registered as part of the world's cultural heritage by UNESCO in December 1995. This makes Gyeongju, literally, an outdoor museum.