Five-story Stone Pagoda in Geumgolsan Mountain, Jindo

A temple called Haewolsa is said to have stood here since the Goryeo period, and this stone pagoda, which belonged to that temple, is presumed to remain on its original site. The single-tier base is made up of four stone slabs, with pillar shapes carved at each corner and at the centre of each side. The uppermost stone of the base has no special decoration, giving a thick, plain impression; this style resembles that of the Eunseon-ri Three-story Stone Pagoda in Jeongeup. The first-storey body stone of the pagoda proper is narrower than the base and unusually elongated and tall, an oddly distorted style. The roof stones are considerably wider and thicker than the body stones, giving an unstable impression, and the appearance of the roof stones differs from storey to storey. The number of supporting tiers on the underside of the roof stones also departs from the standard pattern: five tiers on the first, second and fourth storeys, four on the third, and three on the fifth. Only a bead-shaped ornament remains of the finial; no other elements survive. The base and first-storey body stone of this pagoda are made very long, following the style of the Eunseon-ri Three-story Stone Pagoda. This is highly significant in that it shows how the Baekje style—itself modelled on the Five-story Stone Pagoda at Jeongnimsa Temple Site in Buyeo—spread as far as an island at the southern tip of the country. Because the style of each part is distinctive and irregular in many respects, showing the strong regional character that pagoda styles took on in the late Goryeo period, this pagoda is believed to have been built at that time.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jindo, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물