Five-story Brick Pagoda of Songnimsa Temple, Chilgok

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.

This five-story brick pagoda, standing in front of the main worship hall of Songnimsa Temple, is presumed to have been made during the Unified Silla period (668-935). It is one of the rare examples of Korean pagodas built with clay-baked bricks. The 16.1 m-tall pagoda stands on a granite base, measuring 7.3 m in width. It is presumed that the pagoda was originally made with a chamber for enshrining small buddha statues on the southern side of the first story.

When the pagoda was dismantled and reassembled in 1959, various artifacts were discovered inside, including a gilt-bronze reliquary, celadon bowls, and Buddhist statues. Among the artifacts, the celadon bowls and wooden buddha statues date to the Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910) periods, respectively, suggesting that the pagoda was renovated several times over the centuries.

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