To reduce an electrostatic capacity by providing a pair of inner electrode layers conducting to a pair of outer electrodes in the layered product of an insulating ceramic layer having the outer electrodes, and forming three or more insulating ceramic layers between the inner electrode layers.

This surge absorbing element 20 prevents a creep discharge by making the diameter 8 of the discharge space of the layer kept in contact with the inner electrode layers 3 in the layered product 2 of an insulating ceramic layer larger than the diameter 7 of the discharge space of the inner electrode layers 3. A large discharge space is secured by providing one or more layers of the discharge space of the layer kept in no contact with the inner electrode layers 3 and having the diameter 6 larger than the diameter 8 of the discharge space of the layer kept in contact with the inner electrode layers 3, the preventing effect of the creep discharge is made remarkable, and the durability of repeated electric discharges is improved. The electric discharge start voltage can be adjusted with the gap length 10 between the inner electrode layers 3.