Three-story Stone Pagoda at Mujangsa Temple Site, Gyeongju

The site of Mujangsa Temple lies deep in the mountains, quite far from the city of Gyeongju, and it takes its name — meaning "burying weapons" — from the account that King Munmu, after unifying the Three Kingdoms, buried weapons and helmets here. King Munmu's firm resolve to bring in an age of peace in which weapons would no longer be needed provided the great impetus for founding this temple, and it was also the occasion for erecting the three-storey stone pagoda within its grounds. This pagoda follows the typical style of Silla stone pagodas, with a three-storey body set on a two-tiered base. On the lower base, corner pillars and two central pillars are carved on each side, while the upper base is carved with two round niche motifs on each side. In the body section, the pagoda's core, the body stone and roof stone of each storey are each a single stone, and the first-storey body stone is somewhat tall. Apart from a pillar shape carved at each corner of the body stone on every storey, there is no further decoration. The roof stones diminish in size at a suitable rate from storey to storey, the underside of each has five tiers of eaves-support, and the eaves run in a straight line before curving up gently at the ends. Although the first-storey body stone is somewhat tall, the simplification is not excessive, and the niche motifs carved on the base indicate, stylistically, a later date, suggesting the pagoda was built sometime after the ninth century. Having originally collapsed and lain broken, it was partially restored and re-erected in 1963.

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Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물