Yonggungsa

Yonggungsa Temple was founded in 670 (the 10th year of King Munmu of Silla) by the great monk Wonhyo and was originally named Baeksa Temple after the mountain. It is said that Heungseon Daewongun (Yi Ha-eung) stayed at this temple and prayed for ten years. When King Gojong ascended the throne in 1864, Heungseon Daewongun moved the temple to its old site and changed its name from Gudeamsa to Yonggungsa. According to one account, the name comes from a legend in which a fisherman named Yungong, who lived in Wolchon, Jungsan, Yeongjongdo, had a dream and later pulled up a small jade Buddha from the sea with his fishing net, enshrining it at this temple. Remaining structures include the Gwaneumjeon (Avalokitesvara Hall) rebuilt by Heungseon Daewongun, the Dae-bang (main hall) with a plaque bearing Daewongun's own handwriting, and guest quarters such as Chilseonggak and Yonghwanggak. In Gwaneumjeon, a statue of Avalokitesvara sits against a backdrop of an antique Buddhist painting. Poems written by Haegang Kim Gyu-jin are carved on the temple pillars. At the temple entrance stand two old zelkova trees over 1,000 years old, and the path leading to Yonggungsa Temple runs through dense forests, allowing visitors to enjoy forest bathing.

Address: 199-1 Unnam-ro, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon (Unnam-dong)