* Gwangju West Five-story Stone Pagoda, a Goryeo Dynasty pagoda full of stability and beauty *

It is built on a protruding terrain like a turtle's head within Gwangju Park. Although the upper part of the pagoda is completely gone, the overall condition is very good, showing that it has been changed to the double stylobate style of the Unified Silla period. The fact that the first floor of the five-story body of the pagoda is made of five stones is a unique feature that is not commonly seen in other pagodas, and the appropriate proportion between the shape of the roof stone and the body, and the ratio of each floor decreasing as it goes up to the upper floor is not large, making it look tall overall and strong. As a Goryeo Dynasty pagoda full of stability and beauty, it can be said to be an outstanding masterpiece.

* The structure of the pagoda shows the appearance of a Goryeo Dynasty stone pagoda *

Gwangju West Five-story Stone Pagoda Unlike the two-story stylobates of the Unified Silla period's pagodas, the stylobate is simplified to a single story, as was commonly seen in pagodas of the Goryeo period. Except for the auxiliary stone on the first floor, the pagoda body and the auxiliary stone on each floor are all made of a single stone. The impression of each floor is small, giving the tower a sleek and tall appearance. The first floor's Oksinseok is made of two tiers of star stones. The lower part is made of four stones cut together, and the upper part is a double-shaped pagoda made of a single stone. This type can only be seen in pagodas from the Goryeo Dynasty.

The roof stone has a wide ridge and is angled so that the top and bottom of the four ugly ears are turned backwards, and the floor support follows the regular shape of a Goryeo pagoda. There are 4 sheets in total. The roof stone has a 10cm ridge at each edge of each base, giving a sense of balance. The height of the auxiliary stone on the second floor, like the roof stone, is significantly reduced compared to the okshin on the first floor. All of the upper wheels on the tower body were lost. This pagoda was dismantled and repaired in 1961, and at this time, a reliquary was discovered above the auxiliary stone on the second floor, and a gilt-bronze reliquary with its original shape well-preserved was found inside. This reliquary is currently stored in the Gwangju National Museum.

* Legends related to the pagoda *

The place where the pagoda is located was originally called Seonggeosan Mountain or Seonggu River, and the mountain It is said to be shaped like a turtle. Turtles were thought to be auspicious animals that benefit Gwangju, so when Seonggeosa Temple was built at the location of Hyeonhyanggyo, the tail of the turtle, to prevent it from leaving Gwangju, it often collapsed during the completion stage. It is said that the temple was not torn down.