Iron Pagoda
description: The Iron Pagoda is an eleventh-century structure located in Youguo, a Song Dynasty Buddhist temple complex. The complex originally included a large wooden pagoda, the predecessor to the Iron Pagoda. Built by Yu Hao, the wooden pagoda would perish in a fire in 1044. It was replaced by the Iron Pagoda five years later, commissioned by the ruling emperor, Renzong. Despite its name, the building is not made of iron. It instead gets its name from the multicolored bricks mimicking the appearance of iron. The pagoda is one of China's oldest brick pagodas. Standing at thirteen stories tall, the structure has lasted 900+ years. It continues to stand tall after numerous man-made and natural disasters.
creator: Architect - Yu Hao
creator: Patron - Emperor Renzong
source: Image 1 - 1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda,_Northern_Song_Dynasty,_Kaifeng_03, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda%2C_Northern_Song_Dynasty%2C_Kaifeng_03.jpg
source: Image 2 - 1963-05_1963年_开封祐国寺塔 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/1963-05_1963%E5%B9%B4_%E5%BC%80%E5%B0%81%E7%A5%90%E5%9B%BD%E5%AF%BA%E5%A1%94.jpg)
source: Image 3 - 1049 AD Iron Pagoda, Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng 04.jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda%2C_Northern_Song_Dynasty%2C_Kaifeng_04.jpg)
source: Image 4 - 1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda,_Northern_Song_Dynasty,_Kaifeng_09 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda%2C_Northern_Song_Dynasty%2C_Kaifeng_09.jpg)
source: Image 5 - 049 AD Iron Pagoda, Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng 02.jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/1049_AD_Iron_Pagoda%2C_Northern_Song_Dynasty%2C_Kaifeng_02.jpg)
date: 1049 - Constructed
contributor: Moanna Dixson
format: Pagoda
language: Kaifeng City, China
type: Religious