应县木塔,全名“佛宫寺释迦塔”,位于应县县城城西北的佛宫寺内。木塔建于辽清宁二年(公元1056年),金明昌六年(公元1195年)增修完毕。是我国现存最高最古老的一座木构塔式建筑。如果你是位“古建筑发烧友”,那么应县木塔是你必须来的地方。
这座八角形的木塔,高约60余米,除了第一层的四米高石质台基外,其余各部分都是由木头建成,没有用一根铁钉和铆钉,全部采用传统工艺的榫卯搭建。木塔共五层,各层间夹设暗层,实为九层。各层均用内、外两圈木柱支撑,每层外有24根柱子,内有8根。九百多年来,这座木塔经历了狂风暴雨、大地震和炮火的轰击,依然屹立不倒。
因为应县木塔每年都在倾斜,为了保护古塔,现在游客已经不能登塔了,只能在塔的第一层内游览,不过这并不影响你欣赏这座千年古塔。在木塔塔身的底层,有南北两个门,当你进入木塔的第一层时,能够看到一座高达11米的释迦摩尼佛像,面目端庄,神态怡然。抬头向上望去,能看到顶部精美华丽的藻井。内槽墙壁上还画有六幅如来佛像,在门洞两侧壁上也绘有金刚、天王、弟子等,壁画色泽鲜艳,人物栩栩如生。
除了神奇的建筑艺术外,应县木塔的历代名人挂匾,也非常值得一看。当你站在木塔下仰望时,一块块匾额,高高的悬挂在木塔各层屋檐下。其中有两块皇帝题写的匾额最为吸引游客的眼球。一块是明成祖朱棣题写的“峻极神功”,是朱棣在永乐四年(公元1406年)率军北伐,驻宿在应州(今应县),登城玩赏时题写的;另一块是明武宗朱厚照题写的“天下奇观”,是朱厚照在正德三年(公元1508年)督大军在阳和(今阳高县)、应州(今应县)一带击败入塞的鞑靼小王子,登木塔宴请有功将官时题写的。
木塔的每一层檐下装有风铃,有风的时候,风铃就会迎风作响,十分悦耳。木塔后面有寺院,建议不用去那里。有部分游客反映那里的香火钱贵的离谱。
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木塔后有寺院,部分游客反映,说是免费的香并不免费,而且贵德离谱,还有骗人捐功德的嫌疑。