Suljeongri East Three-Tier Pagoda

SOUTH KOREA, South Gyeongsang, Changnyeong

This pagoda is located in Suljeongri village in Changnyeong. It is called the east pagoda to differentiate it from another pagoda in the west. Due to the distance between the two pagodas and the difference in their construction dates, it is believed that they belonged to different temples. This pagoda was built during the Unified Silla dynasty (668–935), and was reconstructed in 1965. It was listed as National Treasure No. 34 in 1962.
The pagoda is 5.8 m high and stands on a square, two-layer base. Both layers of the base are formed of four stone blocks carved with corner pilasters and two intermediate pilasters on each side. Each tier of the pagoda body consists of a single block of stone with corner pilasters. The roofs, together with five layers of corbeling, are also made of single blocks of stone. The roofs are slightly upturned at the corners. During reconstruction in 1965, the pagoda was dismantled and a bronze reliquary, a glass reliquary bottle, some glass beads, and other artifacts were discovered within the third tier. This pagoda, with its three-tier body built upon a two-layer base, is a common architectural feature of the Unified Silla dynasty.