Three-story Stone Pagodas and Stone Lantern of Borimsa Temple, Three-storied pagodas and stone lantern in Jangheung, South Korea
The Three-story Stone Pagodas and Stone Lantern of Borimsa Temple are National Treasures of South Korea, standing on the grounds of Borimsa at the foot of Mount Gaji in Jangheung. The site features two matching pagodas and an octagonal lantern, all carved from stone and placed in front of the main temple building.
The temple was founded in 860 by the monk Chejing, and the stone pagodas and lantern date from that same period of the Silla era. Much of the temple complex was destroyed by fires in the early 1950s, but these stone structures survived and remain standing today.
The stone structures at Borimsa are part of a living Buddhist temple where ceremonies still take place today. Visitors often see worshippers pausing in front of the pagodas and lantern, making the site feel like more than just an open-air museum.
The site is open to the public during daylight hours as part of an active temple, so visitors should move respectfully through the grounds. The paths around the pagodas are made of stone and can be uneven, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
The core and roof of each pagoda are carved from a single large stone, a hallmark of Silla-era construction that required precise planning before cutting began. The octagonal lantern has kept its surface decorations in such good condition that the fine details are still clearly visible, which is rare for a stone object of this age.
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