Otowa-San Kiyomizu-dera

Otowa-San Kiyomizu-dera

The Otowa-San Kiyomizu-dera, the Temple of Pure Water, or simply Kiyomizu-dera, is a Buddhist temple complex in Kyoto, Japan built on a hill on the site of a waterfall with alleged healing properties. Although the temple site dates to 798 A.D., most of the current temple buildings were built in 1633. The complex features temples, shrines, platforms, the famed waterfall, fountains, and “love stones” to bring true love.

Two of the most important buildings in the complex include Hon-do and Sanju-no-to. Hon-do is a simple yet elegant raised building with a curved roof of cypress wood. It rests on a series of wooden columns that in turn rest on stone slabs and is considered the most representative building in the complex. Sanju-no-to features a brightly-painted three-story pagoda, the tallest in Japan.

List of the other wonders of the world:

  1. Angkor Wat
  2. Mont-Saint-Michel
  3. Alhambra
  4. Eiffel Tower
  5. Burj Al Arab
  6. Statue of Liberty


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Friday, July 02, 2010, Last update: 19:16 ET