A Visit to Haeinsa Temple and the Tripitaka Koreana: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Designated National Treasure No. 32 in 1962
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995
Inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2007
A surprising and moving encounter with the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple.
Visited Haeinsa Temple on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
I finally visited Haeinsa Temple, which I had only seen in textbooks.
With some free time in Daegu, my husband suggested visiting Haeinsa Temple, as we were wondering what to do nearby.
Haeinsa Temple, located in Gayasan National Park in Hapcheon, is not exactly close to Daegu, but we had enough time to make the trip.
Admission to Haeinsa Temple is free, but there is a parking fee. It costs 4,000 won for passenger cars.
The weather was hot and sunny, but thankfully the path up to Haeinsa Temple had plenty of shade from the trees, making the walk bearable.
Even on a weekday in the middle of summer, there were more people than I expected, including groups of Korean and foreign tourists.
Before heading to see the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple, we stopped by the Haeinsa Temple Museum.
Since admission is free and it's close to the parking lot, I recommend visiting to cool off from the heat.
This is a Lego model of Haeinsa Temple. The detail is amazing! lol
After leaving the Haeinsa Temple Museum, it's about a 10-15 minute walk to the entrance of Gayasan Haeinsa Temple.
Haeinsa Temple has a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. The Three-Story Stone Pagoda caught my eye.
It is said to be a stone pagoda built during the Unified Silla period. Haeinsa Temple has suffered several fires, and there were traces of fire damage visible.
On the way up to see the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple, which was my main goal for the day. It's located quite high up - I'm excited!
Looking at the photos now, the blue sky looks so beautiful. In reality, I was suffering from the heat lol
I finally got to see the Janggyeong Panjeon, where the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple are stored. You can see the traces of time.
Because it is made of wood, it would burn up quickly in a fire, but fortunately the Janggyeong Panjeon has not suffered major damage, even though there have been several fires.
Because there are many visitors, there were guards protecting the Tripitaka Koreana.
There were warning signs everywhere telling people not to touch the woodblocks, as they could be damaged, and signs stating that CCTV was recording.
The Tripitaka Koreana as seen through the wooden bars.
I heard that you can only see the interior with a prior reservation. I thought anyone could see it.
I guess they don't let people in recklessly because it's such an old cultural heritage and could be damaged. I'm glad I could see it even like this, since I wouldn't be able to touch it anyway.
On the way down after seeing the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple.
There were many lanterns and chairs, so I guess it's a place for events.
There were a lot of souvenir shops from the way up to Haeinsa Temple to inside the temple grounds. But there was really only one place that sold magnets.
Collecting magnets is my longtime hobby and happiness! I was able to find a Haeinsa Temple souvenir magnet after asking around.
It was quite a moving encounter.
End of the visit to the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa Temple.
※ Haeinsa Temple Tripitaka Koreana Review. This is a subjective opinion, so please just use it as a reference.
Gayasan Haeinsa Temple
Admission: Free
Parking Fee: Compact car 2,000 won, Passenger car 4,000 won, Minibus 4,500 won, Large bus 6,000 won
Tripitaka Koreana External Viewing Hours:
Summer Season: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM / Winter Season: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
(Internal viewing is only possible through the 'Pre-booked Exploration System' on the Haeinsa Temple website)
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