Jogyesa Temple

Jogyesa is the chief temple of the Jogye Order, which accounts for the large majority of Korean Buddhists, and unlike almost every other major Korean temple it stands not in a mountain valley but on a downtown block between office buildings, a few minutes from Insadong. The main hall, Daeungjeon, dates from 1938 and holds three large gilded Buddhas; in the courtyard are a Chinese scholar tree and a white pine, both several centuries old and designated natural monuments. The temple's public face is the lanterns: from mid-April through Buddha's birthday in May the whole courtyard is roofed with thousands of paper lotus lanterns in ranks of colour, and the Yeondeunghoe lantern parade - inscribed by UNESCO as intangible heritage - processes through central Seoul. Outside that season it is a working temple where people come to bow and leave, with a templestay programme and an information centre for visitors. It takes an hour and it is free.

What you actually see

• The lantern canopy - thousands of paper lotus lanterns in spring.
• Daeungjeon - the main hall and its three gilded Buddhas.
• The old trees - the scholar tree and white pine in the courtyard.
• The working temple - people bowing and praying through the day.

When to go

Mid-April to May for the lanterns and the parade, which is the temple at its most striking. Otherwise year-round; early morning for quiet.

Honest expectations

It is a working temple in a busy district - keep quiet in the halls, do not photograph people praying, and expect noise from the streets outside. The lantern season is crowded.

Nearby

Insadong is a two-minute walk; Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon are north.