Pagoda

An image of the Sacred Mountain, as world Centre and axis mundi.  Its stories signify the degrees of ascent to the heavens while the decreasing size of the stories represents leading upwards to the infinite, illimitable space.  It is suggested that the word is derived from the Italian 'pagoda', taken from the Persian, 'house of idols', or from the dagoba or stupa as used in Theravada Buddhism. From:  An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols (J.C. Cooper)

The pagoda, or ta in Chinese, made its first appearance in China about 68 A.D. when Buddhism arrived from India. As the religion spread during the sixth century, from China to Japan and Korea, the pagoda became a defining form in religious architecture.

A towering structure of superimposed stories with overhanging roofs, the pagoda generally is built up from a square, circular, or polygon-shaped foundation. Its origin stems from merging the ancient Indian stupa (the “heap” of brick and stone stacked on the surface of a tomb) with the traditional Chinese multi-storied tower, which was constructed of timber and topped with a spire. From Pagoda

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