Uijeongbu-si · KR

Mangwolsa Temple

Mangwolsa (望月寺) is a mountain temple perched on the granite ridges of Dobongsan in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do. Founded in 639 during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla, it is the oldest temple in Uijeongbu and has been a revered center of Korean Seon (Zen) Buddhist practice for over a thousand years. The temple's name, meaning "Gazing at the Moon," carries layers of legend — some say the founding monk prayed toward the royal capital of Gyeongju, while others point to a rabbit-shaped boulder facing a moon-like peak above the temple. Whatever its origin, Mangwolsa earned its reputation not just for piety but for its dramatic setting amid Dobongsan's weathered crags, offering sweeping views over the city below. Though the buildings are modern reconstructions following destruction in the Korean War, the temple compound preserves an impressive collection of designated cultural properties — including a Goryeo-era master's stupa, a rare 18th-century bronze bell, wooden Buddha triads, a hanging scroll painting, and printing woodblocks for a Buddhist esoteric text.