Gongju travel info

Gongju was the capital of the Baekje kingdom for 63 years starting in 475. Gongsanseong Fortress sits on a ridge in a bend of the Geum River, and ten minutes' walk away the round mounds of the Songsan-ri tombs rise from the grass. The town is small enough that walls, tombs and museum link up on foot. The gold crown ornaments and the queen's bracelet from King Muryeong's tomb are in the Gongju National Museum.

From the fortress wall you look across the river at the whole town. A common run is to start at Geumseoru gate near sunset, circle the wall, then drop down to the alleys of Sanseong Market for blood sausage or hand-cut noodles. The area is known for chestnuts, so chestnut bread, chestnut pie and chestnut mochi take the front rows of every bakery case. The Baekje Cultural Festival runs with Buyeo from late September into October.

From Seoul it is a little over two hours by express bus. The KTX stop, Gongju Station, is 17 km out in Ingmyeon, so a train trip needs one more leg into town. Once you are in, it is a size you can cover on foot in a day or two.

From Seoul (BUS)

From Daejeon and nearby cities (BUS)

From Gongju KTX Station (KTX)