National Treasure 31: Cheomseongdae Observatory - Gyeongju
Posted by: 
elyob
N 35° 50.084 E 129° 13.142
52S E 519782 N 3965641
Daereungwon Parking is at 198-4 Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju-si.
Waymark Code: WM16YE8
Location: Gyeongsang buk do, South Korea
Date Posted: 10/30/2022
Views: 0
There is plenty of parking near Cheomseong-ro and Gyerim-ro. There is no entry fee to visit this section of the Gyeongju historic areas. Cheomseongdae is well visited. On a typical day, the crowd will show you the way.
The following text is taken from the sign on site.
This stone structure is presumed to have been built during the reign of Queen Seondeok (r.632-647), the 27th ruler of the Silla kingdom (57 BCE-935 CE). Its name Cheomseongdae means "Platform of Gazing at the Stars," and it is widely acknowledged to be the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia. In ancient societies, tracking the movement of celestial bodies was of great political importance because astronomical observations served as a guideline for farming as well as a means to foresee the country's fortune.
The structure consists of a square base, a main section, and a top. The main section is made of square-cut stones stacked in 27 tiers which form a curved cylindrical column. On top of this, eight long rectangular stones are stacked in two tiers to create a square frame that resembles the top of a well. Inside, the column is filled with gravel and soil up until the 12th tier of stones, above which it is hollow. There is a square hole on the south side between the 13th and 15th tiers. It is presumed that this hole served as an entrance and was accessed with a ladder, and that once inside, another ladder was used to reach the top where the observations were made.
Other theories suggest that this structure might have been used as an altar, a religious symbol, or a commemorative monument.