Jeondeungsa Temple

전등사

Located within the Jeongjoksan Fortress on Ganghwa Island, this temple is traditionally said to have been founded in 381 and is considered one of the oldest temples in South Korea.

Jeondeungsa sits on Jeongjoksan in southern Ganghwa Island, surrounded by an ancient city wall said to have been built by the three sons of Dangun, known as Samnangseong Fortress. The temple is traditionally believed to have been founded in 381 by the Goguryeo monk Ado, and its name comes from a story of a Goryeo queen who offered a jade lamp to the temple. The main hall, Daeungjeon, was rebuilt in 1621 during the Joseon period and is a National Treasure. Under each of its four corners, a wooden carving of a nude woman crouches and supports the beam. Folk legend says these are the tavern girl who betrayed a craftsman and was punished to hold up the roof forever, and they are the most fascinating sight in the temple. The temple grounds also contain a towering ancient ginkgo tree, a Chinese iron bell cast in the Song dynasty and the site of the Jeongjoksan Historical Archive, which once stored the royal annals of the Joseon dynasty. Since 2023, the fee for visiting Korean temple cultural heritage sites has been abolished, and entry is now free, though parking is charged. Visitors can also book a temple stay experience. Getting there: take a bus from Ganghwa Bus Terminal for about 40 minutes, or drive. It is usually combined with the dolmen sites and the Ganghwa Peace Observatory for a day trip.

Jeondeungsa Temple

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