A Cross Bell Pavilion and Temple Bell

The first thing you’ll see in the temple yard is a beautiful pavilion. It’s the bell pavilion of Songgwangsa Temple. It’s where they keep the temple bell. Every Buddhist temple in Korea has a bell pavilion, but the one in this temple is unique in its shape. It’s a cross-shaped, two story pavilion.

The bell pavilion was built in 1857, while the main building of the temple was being restored and remodeled. It's very rare to see a cross-shaped structure at a Buddhist temple. The foundation of the roof is elaborately designed. Take a few steps back, and you’ll also see that the roof has beautiful curves.

On all corners of the cross-shaped floor, there are various Buddhist artifacts as well as the temple bell.

The copper bell with an intricate design was made about 140 years before the structure was built. The suspension loop at the top looks like a dragon with a pearl, and the top portion has flower patterns. In the middle, there is a standing Bodhisattva with a halo around the head.

The bell is no longer in use, but you can imagine how the sound of the bell must have echoed in the heavy silence of the early morning and evening.