Dabotap Pagoda and Seokgatap pagoda

The most eye-catching structures in the main court are a pair of white-granite pagodas, the 10.4m-tall Dabotap Pagoda and the 8.2m-tall Seokgatap Pagoda, dedicated respectively to the Prabhutaratna or Buddha of Abundant Treasures and the Sakyamuni Buddha. The highly decorative pagoda that stands before the eastern part of the court's main hall is Dabotap, the Pagoda of Abundant Treasures, which is designated National Treasure No. 20. The relatively modest one to the west is Seokgatap, the Pagoda of Sakyamuni Tathagata. Dabotap displays the awesomely elaborate masonry skills of Unified Silla artisans. Extraordinary decorative stones on a stable square stylobate form a complicated assemblage with a pointed appearance. The finials seem to reach upward to the great virtues of heaven. Seokgatap is admired for the beauty of its subtle yet graceful proportions. Its beauty emanates from the perfect balance of its ascending tiers, from its equilibrium, and from its graceful simplicity of decorative elements in contrast with the dazzling Dabotap. It ascends gradually with an austere air, each roof tier subtly upturned at the eave.

The smaller cloistered court to the west of the Pavilion of Mount Meru is the realm of Amitabha. It consists of Geungnakjeon, the Paradise Hall dedicated to Amitabha Tathagata; Chilbogyo, the Bridge of Seven Treasures; Yeonhwagyo, the Bridge of Lotus Flowers; and Anyangmun, the Paradise Gate. Every feature of Bulguksa Temple manifests the terrestrial paradise of the Buddha land. From cornerstone to eave bracket the design achieves a perfect blend of religion and art. Together with Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple was registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list in December 1995.