Godalsa Temple Site, Yeoju

Godalsa was first founded in 764, the 23rd year of King Gyeongdeok of Silla, and grew into a major temple under the protection of successive kings from King Gwangjong of Goryeo onward. Many stone cultural heritage items survive at Godalsa, all said to have been made by a stonemason named Godal. According to legend, Godal devoted himself so completely to building the temple that he did not even notice his own family starving to death; once the temple was complete he shaved his head and became a monk, and later attained enlightenment and became a great monk, so the temple came to be called Godalsa. Within the temple site many fine cultural heritage items remain, foremost among them the Stupa at Godalsa Temple Site (National Treasure), admired for its clean form and refined carving. The Turtle-shaped Base and Capstone of the Stele for State Preceptor Wonjong Hyejin at Godalsa (Treasure) is a memorial stele recording the life of State Preceptor Wonjong, made in 975; it clearly shows the stele form of the transition from the end of Unified Silla to the early Goryeo period. The Stupa for State Preceptor Wonjong Hyejin at Godalsa (Treasure), the funerary stupa of State Preceptor Wonjong, is beautifully and elaborately carved and well illustrates the carving technique of Goryeo-period stupas. There are also the Stone Buddha Seat at Godalsa Temple Site (Treasure) and the Twin-lion Stone Lantern from Godalsa Temple Site (Treasure), the latter now relocated to the National Museum of Korea. Recent excavations have confirmed the site of the main hall and other building foundations, making it possible to gain some sense of the overall scale of the temple.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeoju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Historic Site · 사적