Three-story Stone Pagoda Near Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju

This stone pagoda is presumed to have been made in the late 8th century during the Unified Silla period (668-935).

It consists of a two-tiered base, three sets of body and roof stones, and part of a decorative top. The base tiers are octagonal, which is an unusual design, and are separated by flat circular stones. To emulate the look of a wooden building, the corners of the base and body stones are carved to look like pillars, and the underside of the roof stones are carved to resemble three-tiered eaves. The first-story roof stone and second-story body stone are actually a single stone, as are the second-story roof stone and third-story body stone. A base and a spherical ornament are all that remain of the decorative top.

Considering its location and unusual shape, this pagoda is thought to possibly be a stupa which enshrines the relics of a Buddhist monk.

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