Sansa () is a Buddhist mountain

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

in Korea. Seven of them are designated as

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. With the country being largely mountainous and Buddhism deeply rooted in its history, there are many ''Sansas'' across the country. The word ''Sansa'' is composed of two words ''san'' and ''sa'' which mean mountain and monastery/temple.

World Heritage listed ''Sansa''s

{, class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" , ''Sansa'' !Location !Established , - , , style="text-align:center " ,

Tongdosa Tongdosa (, "Salvation of the World through Mastery of Truth")Le Bas, Tom :"South Korea" pg 244, Insight Guides, 8th edition 2007 is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and in the southern part of Mt. Chiseosan near Yangsan, Sout ...

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Yangsan Yangsan () is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. It borders Ulsan to the northeast, Gijang-gun and Geumjeong-gu in Busan to the southeast, Gimhae to the southwest, and Miryang to the northwest. City Hall is located in Nambu-dong, ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , 646 , - , , style="text-align:center " ,

Buseoksa Buseoksa Temple (Hangul: 부석사, Hanja: ) is a Buddhist temple located near Mt. Bonghwang in Buseok-myeon, Yeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, founded by the prominent scholar-monk Uisang in 676, the 16th year of Munmu of Silla. Buseoksa temple i ...

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Yeongju Yeongju () is a city in the far north region of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea, covering 668.84 km2 with a population of 113,930 people according to the 2008 census. The city borders Bonghwa county to the east, Danyang county of North ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , 676 , - , , style="text-align:center " ,

Bongjeongsa Bongjeongsa is a Korean Buddhist temple on the slopes of Mount Cheondeung in Andong city, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is a subsidiary temple of Gounsa, the head temple of the 16th branch of Jogye Order.(in Korean봉정사 鳳停 ...

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Andong Andong () is a city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city. Andong is a m ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , 677 , - , , style="text-align:center " ,

Beopjusa Beopjusa ( ko, 법주사 or Beopju temple) is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Songnisan, within Songnisan National Park, in Naesongni-myeon, Boeun County, in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do, S ...

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Boeun County Boeun County (''Boeun-gun'') is a county in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. History Boeun ( literally "offering gratitude" or "thanksgiving"), was a South Korean town named in 1406 by a remorseful King Taejong, who felt relieved that h ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , Mid 8th Century , - , , style="text-align:center " ,

Magoksa Magoksa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Gongju, South Korea. It is located on the eastern slope of Taehwasan, on taegeuk-shaped bend in the Taegeukcheon Stream. History Magoksa Temple (Korean: 마곡사, Chinese: 麻� ...

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Gongju Gongju ([]; Gongju-si) is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. History Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo. Goguryeo had overrun ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , Latter half of the 9th Century , - , Seonamsa Iljumun 11-06785

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Seonamsa Seonam Temple, or Seonamsa, is a Korean Buddhist temple on the eastern slope at the west end of Jogyesan Provincial Park, within the northern Seungjumyeon District of the city of Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It belongs to the Ta ...

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Suncheon Suncheon () (''Suncheon-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city of around 250,000 people near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the southeastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , Latter half of the 9th Century , - , Daeheungsa 11-03926

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Daeheungsa Daeheungsa, sometimes called Daedunsa, is a main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Daeheungsa is located on the slopes of Duryunsan (Duryun Mountain) in Samsan Township, Haenam County, in the province of Jeollanam-do near the southe ...

({{Korean, hangul=대흥사, hanja=大興寺, rr=Daeheungsa, mr=Taehŭngsa) , style="font-size: 90%" ,

Haenam County Haenam (''Haenam-gun'') is a county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. The capital of Haenam-gun is Haenam-eup (Haenam town). The economy of the county is based mainly on agriculture, with rice and radish being the two most common crops. Hist ...

, style="text-align:center; font-size: 90% " , Latter half of the 9th Century

References

World Heritage Sites in South Korea Buddhist temples in South Korea Korean traditions Korean culture

World Heritage listed ''Sansa''s

See also

References