A signature of East and Southeast Asian architecture and common to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other countries in the region, the pagoda is a tiered tower-like structure made of brick, stone, or wood and characterized by multiple, upward curving eaves.
The pagoda traces its origins to that of the stupa—a hemispherical, domed, commemorative monument first constructed in ancient India. The pagoda itself is usually associated with a Buddhist temple complex, but there are those that serve a purely decorative purpose.
Click through the following gallery and take a closer look at these towering achievements of architectural splendor.