Chengtian Temple Pagoda

CHINA, Ningxia, Yinchuan

The pagoda was constructed in 1050 during the Western Xia period. It is one of the tallest brick pagodas in China and is the only pagoda with a dated inscription from the Western Xia period (1032–1227). It was destroyed during an earthquake in 1738 during the Qing dynasty, but was restored to its original appearance in 1820. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
The eleven-story, octagonal, brick pagoda is 64.5 m high. On the east side there is an arched entrance which leads into a square chamber with a spiral wooden staircase to the top. The first to the third stories have niches on all sides. The fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth floors have arched windows on the east and west sides, while the fifth, seventh, and ninth floors have arched windows on the north and south sides. The topmost story has four real and four fake round windows. The eaves on each story are in the form of courses of dogtooth bricks. The octagonal pyramidal roof is surmounted by a spire consisting of an inverted bowl made from green glazed bricks followed by a jewel.