Dabotap Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple
Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang · Unified Silla, 8th century (presumed 751)
1,477 parts · 37 kinds · 24 steps
Parts by step
Step 1: Baseplate
25 parts · 3 kinds
Make a 36x36 base from 8x8 and 8x4 plates.
Step 2: Courtyard
382 parts · 4 kinds
Cover the sandy yard with tan and dark tan tiles.
Step 3: Name plaque
3 parts · 1 kinds
Step 4: Platform
168 parts · 4 kinds
Build the edge and put walls inside. The first course is plain bricks; above it, bricks with studs on the side go around, except where the stairs will be.
Step 5: Platform facing
146 parts · 8 kinds
On the faces beside the stairs, attach tiles for the slabs and for the pillars at the corners and beside the stairs.
Step 6: Platform cover
16 parts · 1 kinds
Cover the top of the platform with plates.
Step 7: Front stairs
48 parts · 4 kinds
Six studs wide with eight steps. Each stud outward is one course lower, and tiles cover the treads. Stand a stone post on each side at the foot of the stairs.
Step 8: Back stairs
48 parts · 4 kinds
Step 9: Left stairs
48 parts · 4 kinds
Step 10: Right stairs
48 parts · 4 kinds
Step 11: Platform top
59 parts · 2 kinds
Finish the top of the platform with tiles, leaving room for the first-story pillars.
Step 12: First-story pillars
45 parts · 3 kinds
Raise 3x3 square pillars at the four corners and a 2x2 pillar in the middle, five courses high.
Step 13: Bracket stones
72 parts · 2 kinds
Lay two layers of square rings, two studs thick, across the pillar tops, then a ring of plates one stud wider.
Step 14: First-story roof stone
54 parts · 2 kinds
Stack two layers of 18x18 plates, wider than the brackets, for a thin, wide square roof stone.
Step 15: Roof stone top
76 parts · 3 kinds
Step 16: Octagonal base
28 parts · 4 kinds
In the middle, lay one course of bricks and one layer of plates in an octagon.
Step 17: Square railing
30 parts · 3 kinds
Raise 1x1 brick posts two courses high around the octagonal base, and ring the tops with plates for the rail.
Step 18: Octagonal railing
16 parts · 1 kinds
Raise eight round brick posts, two courses high, at the edge of the octagonal base.
Step 19: Lotus cushion
46 parts · 4 kinds
Stack a round layer of plates, a course of round bricks one stud wider, and another round layer of plates for a swelling lotus cushion.
Step 20: Eight pillars
18 parts · 2 kinds
Raise eight round brick posts two courses high on the lotus cushion, with a core post in the middle.
Step 21: Octagonal roof stone
86 parts · 5 kinds
Stack two octagonal layers of plates in opposite directions, cover the edge with tiles, and raise the middle by one plate.
Step 22: Dew basin and lotus bowl
3 parts · 3 kinds
Put a round plate on the square dew basin (noban).
Step 23: Rings (boryun)
9 parts · 3 kinds
Alternate round bricks and round plates three times for the rings.
Step 24: Jewel (boju)
3 parts · 3 kinds
About the building
This Unified Silla pagoda at Bulguksa Temple is the companion of Seokgatap and stands 10.29 m tall. On a cross-shaped platform with stone stairs on all four sides sits an octagonal body surrounded by square railings. Squares, octagons and circles are fitted together to a standard in every part, and experts still debate whether it has three stories or four. Of the four stone lions that once sat on the stairs, three disappeared during repairs around 1925. It is designated a National Treasure.
Model details
- Size
- 28.8 × 28.8 × 31.7 cm high
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Updated
- 2026-09-24
- Set history
- Every part and color has a set record since 2020 (Rebrickable 2026-09-24)
Design notes
Following proportions measured from a photo (platform side to total height about 1:2.5), the platform is 16 studs and the total height about 99 plates (1:2.45). The platform is eight brick courses tall, with six-stud-wide, eight-step stone stairs in the middle of each side and stone posts at their feet. Four 3x3 square pillars and one central pillar hold up the first story, topped by two layers of brackets and an 18-stud roof stone. Above that come a square railing, an octagonal base with an octagonal railing of eight round posts, a lotus cushion of stacked round layers, eight pillars, an octagonal roof stone, three rings and a jewel. Octagons and circles are approximated in plates and bricks from calculated grid cells. The stone lions, stair railings and carved details of the brackets and lotus petals are not modeled. Every part passed the automated build check.
References
- Dabotap Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju — Heritage Search, Korea Heritage Service (공식 영문 명칭) · ⓒ 국가유산청(Korea Heritage Service), All rights reserved — 명칭·사실 확인용으로만 참고, 본문·사진 미사용
- 국보 경주 불국사 다보탑 — 국가유산포털, 국가유산청 · ⓒ 국가유산청(Korea Heritage Service), All rights reserved — 명칭·사실 확인용으로만 참고, 본문·사진 미사용
- Dabotap Pagoda 01.jpg, Dabotap Pagoda 02.jpg — Bernard Gagnon, 위키미디어 공용 · CC0 1.0 — 비례·구성 확인에만 사용