Sokgyemun

NT #23
Bulguksa Temple (map)
Unified Silla
East Gyeongju, Korea

The temple's main entrance is seen full-on in the upper photo. Jahamun, the Purple Mist Gate, is reached by climbing a two-level staircase: Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge) is the lower level, and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge) is the upper level. The staircase is divided vertically by a course of granite.

The lower photo is a side-on view of the staircase. Notice how its two flights of stairs leap over the central arch, and integrate with the box-like platform. Calling these stairs a "bridge," it should be noted, is more Asian than Western terminology: they are, symbolically, a "bridge" between heaven and earth.