Pagoda

A pagoda is any kind of tower with multiple eaves. They are common in eastern and southeastern Asia. Most pagodas are built for religious purposes. Most are usually Buddhist temples, while some are also used as Taoist temples and Muslim mosques and Gongbeis.^[1][2]

Gongbei (Sufi shrine) of Yu Baba in Linxia city, China.

These were first built during the 3rd century BC.^[3] This kind of architecture has spread across Asia, taking on many differences as details specific to different regions are made a part of the overall design.^[4] Stupas were used to house Buddhist relics.^[3] Later, the architecture of Chinese towers and Chinese pavilions blended into pagoda architecture. This eventually spread to Southeast Asia. The pagoda's original purpose was to house relics and sacred writings.^[5][6]