Multi-story Stone Pagoda of Silleuksa Temple, Yeoju

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.225

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1963

Location

여주시, 경기도— 경기도 여주시 신륵사길 73 (천송동, 신륵사) / (지번)경기 여주시 천송동 282 신륵사

Coordinates

37.297538, 127.661688

A story has it that the Silleuksa Temple was built by a great Buddhist monk named Wonhyo during the reign of King Jinpyeong of Silla, but it is not sure if it is true. This temple is famous for its stone pagoda built during the Goryeo Dynasty. What makes this pagoda more unique is that each of the base and the main body is made of a single stone and that the stone foundation under the base is decorated with lotus flower carving. The stone plate placed at the top of the base adds to the balance and stability of the pagoda, and the decoration of the base with the flower designs demonstrates the artful skill of the sculptor. The roof stones, which have one-stepped cornices, are curved upward gently at the edges. The current pagoda is eight storied although art historians believe that originally there were more stories. While this pagoda follows the typical sculpture techniques of the Goryeo Dynasty, the details of its structure and decoration are quite different from ones made in that era. As a whole, it is very similar to the Ten-story Stone Pagoda at Wongaksa Temple Site, particularly in the use of materials and the stone carving technique. This marble pagoda is believed to have been built in 1472, the third year of King Seongjong, when the Silleuksa Temple was under a large-scale reconstruction.

Location