Gounsa Temple : Large Part Destroyed
Unprecedented wildfires ripping through South Korea’s southern regions recently destroyed large parts of the Gounsa Temple complex, burning down two buildings that had been designated national treasures.Gounsa Temple, which means “Solitary Cloud Temple”, is a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple located in South Korea.It is nestled at the foot of Deungun Mountain in the southeastern town of Uiseong. It was reportedly built in the 7th century during the Shilla dynasty that ruled the area and other parts of the Korean Peninsula at the time. While it doesn’t house buildings constructed in the ancient period, it is home to several famous cultural heritages built later.Unlike so many other major temples on the Korean peninsula, Gounsa temple avoided being destroyed by the invading Japanese at this time.After the Imjin War, Gounsa Temple underwent a large-scale reconstruction project that started in 1695.It is also the headquarters temple of the 16th District of the Jogye-jong Order (the largest Buddhist Order in Korea).
