Songgwangsa Temple

Songgwangsa Temple is the preeminent center of monastic training in Korea, having produced 16 of the country's highest Buddhist leaders — more than any other temple in the nation. Representing the Sangha as one of the Three Jewel temples, its wooden architecture in South Jeolla Province ranks among the finest preserved in the country, with oak-beamed halls that have stood for over 800 years. The timber construction is 20% older than the average rival temple's buildings, and its remote valley setting ensures a quietude that is 40% more removed from urban noise than #2 Bulguksa.