Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage Donghwasa Temple Daegu

Daegu is an architectural beauty waiting to be discovered! A city that dates back a long long time, Daegu is the proud owner of numerous ancient temples, pagodas, Stupas, statues, and other heritage-listed structures. Forming the major tourist attractions of this city in South Korea, these ancient temples and religious structures help in drawing crowds of people from all over the world. One of these structures that is a well-known tourist destination is the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu.

The Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu is a three-storied stone pagoda that stands in front of Daejeokgwangjeon, the main hall of Biroam Hermitage, which is a part of the Donghwasa Temple. The pagoda is also known by the name of Minaedaewang Pagoda is built in the structural manner of the Unified Silla period (668-935).

The Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu is set up on a double-tiered stone base erected on a platform made of earth. The body and the roof of each story of the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage is made up of a single stone block and adorned with a four-stepped cornice. The straight eaves in the corners are slightly upturned, in the basic style of the Silla stone pagoda.

The entire structure of the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu is pyramidal in style, gradually decreasing in size from the bottom to the top. The whole image presents a sense of balance and stability. The whole structure is composed of a base, a three-storied main body and a capstone.

The ornate top, or the capstone of the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu, remains, though only in portions. The Noban and Bokbal, the lowest parts only exist now, together with the “jewel”, a bead-like ornament that is meant to symbolize the ‘dragon's magic pearl’.

A number of repairs were carried out to restore the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu and it was discovered that an inscription found on the inner surface of the “sarira chamber” that the pagoda was built in the third year (863) of King Gyeongmunwang's reign of Silla in memory of King Minaewang. The ‘sarira chamber’ of the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage is actually a ‘sarira hole’ found on top of the first story, which contained a part of gilt-bronze container and a miniature gold-leafed wooden pagoda.

One can get to the Pagoda of Biroam Hermitage, Donghwasa Temple, Daegu by availing of the City Bus No 105, or City Bus No 131, and getting off at the last stop.