Twin-lion stone lantern to return to Yeoju temple site after decades in museum
The Korea Heritage Service said it is moving forward with plans to relocate a Goryeo-era stone lantern from the National Museum of Korea back to a temple site in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, where it originally stood. The agency is working with the National Museum of Korea and the city of Yeoju to move the Twin-Lion Stone Lantern from Godalsa Temple Site — a Treasure, one of Korea's state heritage…
The Korea Heritage Service is relocating a Goryeo-era stone lantern, known as the Twin-Lion Stone Lantern, from the National Museum of Korea back to its original site in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. This historic lantern, which stands as a state-designated Treasure and Historic Site, was believed to have originated in the 10th century. Unlike most twin-lion stone lanterns in Korea, the lions on this particular lantern are depicted crouching, a feature that highlights the Goryeo Dynasty's innovative approach to stone carving.
The lantern, which was discovered toppled at the Godalsa site, has a history of moving between various locations before it was eventually acquired by the National Museum of Korea in 1950. It had been kept by village residents and later placed in the rear garden of a wedding hall in Seoul's Jongno District. The Korea Heritage Service is coordinating with the museum and Yeoju City to restore the lantern to its original temple site, where it will be displayed alongside its historic significance as a state-designated heritage marker.
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