Mireuksa Temple Site

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Mireuksaji Temple Site, located in Geumma-myeon, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do Province, is the largest temple site from the Baekje period.
It is said to have been built in 602 by King Mu of Baekje at the request of his queen, making it one of the largest temples in ancient East Asia.

Through excavations and restorations, two stone pagodas, the East Pagoda and the West Pagoda, have been rebuilt. The West Pagoda, in particular, is designated as the oldest stone pagoda in Korea and is protected as National Treasure No. 11. The restored East Pagoda, a nine-story structure, preserves its original architecture and cultural value.

According to Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), King Mu and his queen witnessed the apparition of the Maitreya Buddha Triad in a pond in 602. At the queen’s request, they filled in the pond and founded the temple.
In 2015, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Baekje Historic Areas.

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