Five-story Stone Pagoda of Magoksa Temple, Gongju
公州 麻谷寺 五層石塔
충청남도 공주시
Basic information
- Designation
- National Treasure No.348
- Category
- Sites & Pagodas
- Era
- 고려시대
- Designated year
- 2025
- Location
- 공주시, 충청남도— 충남 공주시 사곡면 마곡사로 966, 마곡사 (운암리)
- Coordinates
- 36.543200, 126.910800Museum-based location
AI Docent
✨ AI-generatedWelcome to the Five-Story Stone Pagoda of Magoksa Temple! Picture this: a stunning stone pagoda from the late 1300s, crowned with something truly extraordinary—a gleaming bronze reliquary pagoda sitting right on top. This "pagoda atop a pagoda" is one-of-a-kind in Korea. What makes it special? That bronze crown reproduces a Lama-style stupa, a design that came from Yuan-dynasty China. It's a beautiful example of how Buddhist ideas traveled and blended across Asia. The craftsmanship is exquisite—refined details throughout. Look closely at the base: you'll spot some of Korea's earliest crab-eye-shaped carved designs. The four Buddhas carved on the second story tell us it dates from the late Goryeo period. This pagoda wasn't built in isolation—it represents real cultural exchange between Korea and the wider Buddhist world. Standing before it, you're witnessing centuries of artistic tradition and international connection, all in stone and gleaming bronze.
⚠ This is an AI-generated retelling of the official description. For accuracy, refer to the official description below.
Description
Machine-translatedThis English description was machine-translated and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the original Korean text for details.
Five-Story Stone Pagoda of Magoksa Temple, Gongju. The Five-Story Stone Pagoda of Magoksa Temple in Gongju — a UNESCO World Heritage site listed under 'Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea' — is a late Goryeo period (c. 14th century) stone pagoda. Based on the execution of the four directional Buddhas carved on the second-story pagoda body, it is estimated to date from the late Goryeo period. Particularly remarkable is the gilt-bronze reliquary pagoda (height 1.8 m) placed atop the fifth-story roof stones, which reproduces the Lama-style Buddhist stupa form popular in Yuan-dynasty China. Unique among Korean stone pagodas and nicknamed 'a pagoda atop a pagoda,' this gilt-bronze reliquary is noted for its refined craftsmanship and outstanding technical and artistic completion, representing international Buddhist cultural exchange of the period. The double-tier platform follows the Baekje-lineage stone pagoda tradition, and the crab-eye-shaped arabesque designs (해목형 안상) carved in relief on the pagoda base stones are the earliest known examples among surviving stone pagodas.
Location
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Images: KOGL (khs.go.kr) · Data source: Korea Heritage Service Open API (khs.go.kr)