Kinkakuji

Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, more formally referred to as Rokuon-ji or 'Deer Garden Temple' and otherwise known as 'The Temple of the Golden Pavilion', was first built in 1397 CE. Originally the retirement residence of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (r. 1368-1394/5 CE), it was converted into a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple following Yoshimitsu's death in 1408 CE, a function it still performs today. Kinkakuji was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1994 CE and is an official National Special Historic Site of Japan and listed as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.