The Pagoda reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Pagoda

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Image:pagoda.jpg
A pagoda at Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Pagoda is the general English term for a tower-shaped building, often religious in purpose, common in China and other parts of Asia.

Many pagodas are Buddhist stupa, but the Daqin Pagoda in China was actually built by early Christians.

In the 18th century, Chinoiserie a style based on Chinese and other Far East designs became popular in Europe, introduced by the burgeoning trade and travel routes. An example of this, the pagoda in Kew Gardens, England was completed in 1762 as a gift for Princess Augusta, the mother of George III.