Gwangju City Profile

Gwangju (pronounced: Kwangju) is the ancient and present-day capital of Chollanam-do province. It’s the fifth largest city in Korea, but lacks charm since few traditional remnants remain.

Population

1.4 million

Location

The southwest of South Korea

Transportation

Local and long-distance buses leave from the Express Bus Terminal, the Honam Bus Terminal, and the Intercity Bus Terminal.

Places of Interest

Gwangju is beautiful, clean, organized, and has a good reputation with Koreans and foreigners alike. You can visit Chomsongdae (Star Tower), which is the oldest known astronomical observatory in the world, royal tombs, P1unhwangsa Pagoda, and Sokkuram Shrine, a “stone-grotto” shrine that holds a large granite Buddha. Gwangju National Museum is also worth a trip.