Divine Bell of King Seongdeok

Housed at the Gyeongju National Museum, widely regarded as the finest bronze bell in Korea — this is the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok.

King Gyeongdeok, Silla's 35th monarch, commissioned it in honor of his late father, King Seongdeok, and it was finally completed in 771 CE under his son, King Hyegong. Atop the bell sits a dragon-shaped hook and a sound tube; the body bears a decorative band of floral scrollwork at the top, four raised nipple clusters, four flying-celestial reliefs, two striking points, and another band of scrollwork and lotus patterns at the base.

Its elegant overall form and ornate decoration are remarkable, but it's especially famed for its beautiful, long-lingering tone, earning it recognition as the finest Buddhist temple bell in Korea. It's also widely known by the nickname "Emille Bell," from a folk legend that a child was sacrificed into the molten bronze — though this remains an oral legend with no historical confirmation.

Today it's displayed on the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum, making it a natural stop for visitors already there to see Silla-era artifacts.

Honestly, though, you can't actually hear it rung — striking has been discontinued to preserve it — so you'll have to be satisfied with appreciating its form and patterns by sight alone.

Museum hours are 10:00-18:00 on weekdays and 10:00-19:00 on weekends and holidays (last entry 30 minutes before closing), closed January 1st and Lunar New Year/Chuseok.