Nonsan Gwanchoksa Temple (관촉사(논산))

Gwancheoksa Temple is a historic Buddhist temple on the eastern foothills of Banyasan Mountain in southern Nonsan. One of the city’s Top 8 Scenic Views, it is best known for the 18-meter-tall Stone Standing Maitreya Bodhisattva, known as Eunjin Mireuk. The statue’s gentle, compassionate expression has earned it the nickname “the Smile of Baekje.” Other notable relics include a stone lantern, five-story stone pagoda, and stone gate in front of the statue. Several of the temple’s relics are designated national or provincial cultural heritage, including the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue as a National Treasure and the stone lantern as a Treasure. From the temple courtyard, visitors can also take in sweeping views of the fertile Nonsan Plain.