Tower Pagoda

This is the most common type of pagodas seen in China, which visitors may climb up for a brid's eye view of the surrounding county. The world-famous Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County, Shanxi Province, is a typical tower-like pagoda. Built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty, it is the tallest and oldest of its kind in the country. Standing on a two-tiered stone terrace and true to its name, the structure, 67.13 meters tall and 30 meters across at the bottom, is all wood. The ground storey has double eaves, so the 5-storeyed octagonal building has altogether 6 eaves. The interior of the pagoda consists of nine floors, with four of them hidden from outside view.

Structurally, the pagoda was erected by stages with separate sets of columns, beams and purlins in between every two stories. Joining these together are dougong brackets of 50-60 kinds, which hold the huge wooden structure together in an integral piece, strong and magnificent, without the help of a single piece of metal. Visitors can scale the pagoda by the wooden stairs inside, which lead up to the top floor.

It is estimated that more than 3,500 cubic meters (or about 3,000 tons) of timber must have been used to build the pagoda. The 900-year­old Wooden Pagoda, during its long life, has been weathered by the elements, shelled on by warlords' firearms, and shaken by strong earthquakes. Though slightly tilted, it still stands majestic today - an architectural marvel not only for China but for the whole world. Pleas view some examples of this sort:

The Close-Eaved Pagoda 
The Tower Pagoda
The Diamond-Throne Pagodas
Stupas and Pagoda
ther-and-Children Pagodas 
Forest of Pagoda