Hōryūji

Hōryūji ; Bst. monastery at Nara, Japan. Founded by Empress Suiko as college for Bst Philosophy.

Opened by Prince Regent Shōtoku in 607. Contains some of oldest wooden buildings in the world.

Treasure-house of Buddhist art, architectural and sculptural.

The famous frescoes in Kondō destroyed by fire but superbly replaced. Architecture inspired by Chinese models of T’ang Dynasty through Korean copies.