Chhomsondae ( cor. 첨성대 ) - the ancient astronomical observatory in Gwangju, Gangwon Prov. Gyeongsangbuk-do , Republic of Korea . Chhomsondae, translated from Korean, means a tower for observing stars . It is one of the oldest surviving observatories in East Asia , and one of the oldest scientific structures on Earth. It dates from the 7th century (the era of the United Silla state, whose capital was Gyeongju). On December 20, 1962 , Chhomsondae was included in the list of the country's National Treasures under number 31 [1] . UNESCO World Heritage .
| Chomsondae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hangul | 첨성대 |
| Hancha | 瞻 星 臺 |
| McCune - Reischauer | Ch'ŏmsŏngdae |
| New romanization | Cheomseongdae |
 | UNESCO World Heritage Site , Object No. 976 rus • eng • fr. |
Overview
According to Samguk Yusa , Chhomsondae was built during the reign of Queen Sondok (632–647) near the capital of the state. The tower was built from 362 pieces of granite , representing 362 days of the lunar year . Some studies, however, suggest that the number of pieces is 366 [2] . It has a laying of 27 levels, 12 of which are below the viewing window, and 12 are higher. The number 12 symbolizes the number of months in a year. Square and round shapes symbolize, respectively, the earth and sky. The crown of the tower is half the area of its base.
The height of the tower is 9.4 meters, the width at the base is 5.7 meters. The architectural style is similar to the architecture of Punhwans Temple in Gyeongju, most likely, it was influenced by the proximity to Tang China .
Notes
- ↑ Indiana University Resources [1] . Retrieved February 13, 2006
- ↑ Song (1983, p.17): Director of the Gyeongju National Museum Hong Sa Joon counted 366 pieces
Links
- Gyeongju Attractions
- Asian Historical Architecture page on Cheomseongdae
- Travel in Korea Cheomsongdae information page
- Song, Sang-Yong (1983). A brief history of the study of the Ch'ŏmsŏng-dae in Kyongju . Korea Journal 23 (8), 16-21. (eng.)
- Nha, Il-seong (2001). Silla's Cheomseongdae. Korea Journal 41 (4), 269-281. (eng.)