Five-story Stone Pagoda at Cheongnyangsa Temple Site, Gongju

A pagoda is a symbolic monument enshrining the relics or remains of the Buddha. Although not all pagodas contain the true remains, they are nonetheless worshiped as sacred places that enshrine the Buddha.

Located at the former site of Cheongnyangsa Temple, this five-story stone pagoda dates to the middle period of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392). However, it was made in the classic style of a Baekje-period (18 BCE-660 CE) pagoda, in which stones are stacked to emulate a wooden building. This is because Gongju was the royal capital of the Baekje kingdom at the time when Buddhism gained its foothold in the area.

The five-story pagoda, together with the seven-story pagoda that stands next to it, are sometimes together referred to as “the brother and sister pagodas.” These pagodas are mentioned in a 1693 travelogue by the civil official O Jae-jeong (1641-1709), but are described as having not five and seven stories, but seven and nine stories. In 1961, the seven-story pagoda underwent repairs, and the five-story pagoda was also slightly renovated.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08