경주 Gyeongju Excursion: 안압지 (Anapji Pond)

The final stop on our Gyeongju excursion was to Anapji Pond. I admit I’m jumping a bit here; there were a few stops in between Bulguksa and Anapji. However, I’m going to lump them together in the final and fourth post from this trip.

Anapji was quite possibly my favourite stop on this excursion. It is so beautiful and peaceful there. Unlike Seokguram and Bulguksa, it wasn’t at all crowded. And, as our last stop, we were able to wander more leisurely.

It was originally built as part of Wolseung Fortress and Imhaejeon during the reign of King Munmu (Silla Dynasty). Unlike Anapji, the fortress has not been restored. In fact, not all of Imhaejeon has been restored. Imhaejeon is loosely used to describe the area Anapji is located in, but actually refers to the palace. 

A distinct feature of Anapji is the three islands. The pond is surprisingly large. We joked that this was a pond, but Konkuk's lake is significantly smaller and still referred to as a lake. I should look up what distinguishes them.

 

I’ve been told the best time to visit Anapji is at night. Supposedly, the way they light it is quite nice on an evening stroll. I wish I could have gone. If it was peaceful during the day, just imagine how much more so it would be in the evening. With a cool breeze and the stillness that goes with spring nights. 

Some of the structures around the pond, most are blocked off. However, they are still pretty to look at. There is one you can go in (see photo just above this). Inside are little display cases with some history of the pond, if I remember correctly. There's a few items too.

If you've visited photo posts on this blog before, you knew this was coming. I have a deep love for traditional Korean architecture and most posts include a "detail shot" of it.

One of the things I found most fascinating was how reflective the water was. I hesitate to call the water clear, it seems a bit too green to say that. Looking at the colour, I would have expected it to be a bit murky.

You can see some the lights positioned in the water, now I really wish I could have gone at night or in the evening. But the dorm festival was that night, so we had to leave with enough time to attend for a bit. 

For more information on Anapji Pond visit here or here.

Previous Gyeongju posts can be found here:

Part 1 – Seokguram Grotto 석굴암

Part 2 – Bulguksa Temple 불국사

Only one more Gyeongju post left, so stay tuned!