Scenic View #6: Sutasa Temple in Gongjaksan Mountain
Sutasa Temple in Gongjaksan Mountain
Mt. Gongjak stands at 887m above sea level. The entire Hongcheon-gun is visible from the top of the mountain, and the name comes from the way the mountain range looks like a peacock spreading its wings. Also, the mountain looks like a giant lying down towards the skies, when seen from Hongcheon-eup. The royal azalea are beautiful in the spring, crimson foliage in the fall, fantastic rock cliffs, groups of old pines in the shape of dwarfed trees and snow covered winter mountains are also quite a sight. Beautiful scenery created by wide rock beds and large swamps fills the Suta Temple valley, which extends over about 12km from the Suta temple to Nochun-ri, Dong-myeon, and fantastic rock cliffs and forests protect the valley on either side making it hard to take your eyes off the scenery when you take a rest in this valley.The thousand year old Suta Temple located at the foot of Mt. Gongjak, one of the 100 noted mountains of Korea, is said to have been built by the great Buddhist priest WonHyo in the 7th year of King SeongDeok, the 33rd King of Silla (708 AD). Preserved here are the Paljak roofs of the Daejok shrine, the large bell built in 1364 and the 3 story stone temple. It is the greatest temple in all of the Yeongseo inlands, possessing cultural assets including the Daejok shrine, the temple bell, HuBultaenghwa, HongUdangbudo and the WolInseokbo which was designated as the national treasure number 745.