Five-story Stone Pagoda of Muryangsa Temple, Buyeo

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.185

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

고려시대

Designated year

1963

Location

부여군, 충청남도— 충청남도 부여군 무량로 203 (외산면, 무량사)

Coordinates

36.316952, 126.693330

The Five-story Stone Pagoda is located in front of Geungnakjeon Hall at Muryangsa Temple. The stylobate supporting the main body of the pagoda is composed of a single layer and a tiered-supporting base made of round and thick stones. The corners and centers of all the faces of the stylobate are engraved with pillar patterns. Each story of the main body consists of a core stone and a roof stone. The core stones, whose four corners are made with small inserted pillars, are lower than the roof stones. This five-story stone pagoda is well-proportioned on the whole, and exhibits an elegant yet solemn appearance. The roof stones are thin and wide, while the eaves are horizontal and turn swiftly upward at the ends. The roof stones and their supporting stone plates are made of separate stones, with the number of supporting stone plates tapering in size toward the top. Of the upper part of the pagoda, only a part of the top ornament placed on the low supporting stone, remains. This pagoda is recognized as an important relic as it was built by harmonizing the individual styles of stone pagodas of the Baekje and Unified Silla Dynasties. The pagoda inherited certain characteristics of Baekje pagodas owing to its (geographical) location in the former territory of the Baekje Dynasty, but also contains elements that reflect the prevailing trend of the Unified Silla Dynasty. During the dismantling of the pagoda, three Buddhas statues, and gilt-bronze seated Amitabha, Ksitigarbha and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattvas were found inside the first story’s core stone, along with a gilt-bronze Bodhisattva from the third story and a sarira reliquary from the fifth story.

Location