보신각은 일명 종각이라고도 하며 고종 32년(1895) 보신각이란 사액을 내린데서 이름이 지어졌다.
태조 4년(1395)에 처음 지어진 후 4번이나 불타 없어지고, 8번에 걸쳐 다시 지어졌다. 현재의 건물은 1979년 8월에 서울시에서 지은 것으로, 동서 5칸·남북 5칸의 2층 누각으로 되어있다.
보물 제2호인 보신각종은 조선 세조 14년(1468)에 만들어져 원각사에 있다가, 절이 폐사된 후 광해군 11년(1619)에 현재의 보신각 자리에 옮겨졌다. 보신각종은 오전 4시에 33번, 오후 7시에 28번을 울려 도성의 문을 여닫고 하루의 시각을 알리는 역할을 해왔다.
오랜 세월이 흐르는 동안 몸통에 균열이 생겨 더 이상 종을 칠 수 없게되자, 국립박물관에 보관하고 있다. 지금 보신각에 걸려 있는 종은 1985년 국민의 성금에 의하여 새로 만들어 그해 광복절에 처음 타종하였다.
Until 1985 this bell had been used to ring out the old year on New Year's Eve, and now it is kept in the precincts of the Central National Museum. Made under the reign of King Sejo (1468), it used to be preserved in Jeongneungsa Temple. With the temple no longer exist, it was moved to Wongaksa Temple and had been stored in Bosingak ever since Japanese aggression (1592∼1598).
Since then, despite undergoing several war disasters, the bell survived and has been called 'Bosingak Bronze Bell' since 1895 when the name tablet was put up in front of the structure during the reign of King Gojong.
This bell is the most representative one of its kinds made in the early Joseon Dynasty and heavy enough with its 19.66 ton in weight, 3.18m in height, and 2.28 m in diameter.
At the top there is no metal tube that can help emit tones when struck, but a sculptured dragon with two heads that functions as a hook to hang up.
This bell forms a graceful flowing curve from the shoulder, and a straight line from the middle to the base, with three bands around the trunk and two bands around the base with a long inscription stating its origin.This bell is considered as the most valuable heritage even though it has been slightly damaged in shape and sound quality after undergoing war disasters.
The cache is located near Bosingak.
GPS may jump.
Congrats to suk8a on FTF!