1,000-year-old ancient pagoda in the heart of Hanoi: Where there are relics from the Ly Dynasty

This ancient temple is Van Nien Pagoda. Van Nien Pagoda, an ancient pagoda located on the western shore of West Lake, is considered one of the most sacred pagodas of the ancient capital Thang Long (present-day Hanoi).
The ancient temple is more than 1,000 years old

According to Vnexpress, today, Van Nien Pagoda is located in Ve Ho village, Xuan La ward, Tay Ho district, on Lac Long Quan street. This is not only a place of veneration and prayer, but also an attractive destination for tourists and believers.
According to historical books, Van Nien Pagoda was built in the second year of Thuan Thien during the Ly Dynasty (1011), which is exactly one year after King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long.

Thang Long fairy tales record: "The pagoda is on the west bank of West Lake, in the past it was called Van Tue pagoda, now it is called Van Nien. The pagoda is located in Quan La hamlet. Ly Thuan Thien's fifth year (1014), Huu Nhai Tang Thong The ship asked to set up a precept altar here and ordain the monks. The king came down to grant it. At that time, the famous monk Lam Tue Sinh and Thao Duong of the Ly dynasty inherited the abbot here.
Previously, the pagoda was called Van Tue Pagoda, but later it was renamed Van Nien Pagoda and is one of the temples following the Tantric sect.

Unique architecture of the temple

According to Dai Doan Doan newspaper, up to this point, Van Nien Pagoda has experienced more than 1,000 years of history. Although the temple has been restored many times, it still retains its ancient and unique architectural features.

The pagoda worships Buddha and the Mother Goddess, consisting of 5 compartments, 3 palace compartments connected together to form a "nail" shape. The houses are built facing the East according to the layout including three gates, main pagoda, temple, monk's house, and auxiliary houses.

The largest restoration of the pagoda was around the 19th century during the Nguyen Dynasty. Therefore, the pagoda has many typical features of pagodas of the Nguyen Dynasty in the design of the three-entrance gate, main pagoda area, monk's house and outbuildings.
The pagoda's Tam Quan gate consists of 2 gates: a main gate on the shore of West Lake and a side gate on Lac Long Quan street. The main gate was originally built from bricks and lime. On the roof of the pagoda there are three embossed seals "Van Nien Tu". A new side gate was built, made entirely from wood.

The main pagoda worships Princess Lieu Hanh. The main temple building consists of 5 compartments with architecture from doors, floors, cabinets to altars made almost entirely from new wood

Hanoi People Magazine reports that currently, Van Nien Pagoda still preserves its physical architecture and collection of relics of high historical and artistic value. Typical relics of the pagoda include: the ancient walls of the main pagoda built of bricks (a typical material of the Ly Dynasty); set of 46 round statues (including 26 Buddha statues, 20 Mother Goddess statues, and Patriarch statues); two bronze bells dating back to the Nguyen Dynasty, 11 deifications and many other worship objects.


Notably, on the pagoda's bronze bell cast during the reign of Gia Long (reigned 1802-1820), there is an inscription stating that Van Nien Pagoda is an ancient relic of great scale, a major fairy tale site in the south. West of the capital Thang Long. For many years, the monument has always been respected, preserved, and renovated to become more and more spacious

The pagoda was ranked an architectural and artistic relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1996.

In particular, in 2010, on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi, Van Nien Pagoda held a burial ceremony and inaugurated the Emerald Buddha Palace. The statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is carved from a rare and precious natural jade block from Myanmar, with a height of nearly 1.5m and a weight of nearly 600kg. The sacred jade Buddha statue is considered a rare treasure in Vietnam.
Van Nien Pagoda retains its ancient beauty and unique architectural culture in the heart of a modern and developed capital. When entering the temple grounds, you will feel the pure, airy atmosphere and lush green landscape. Van Nien Pagoda is not only a place of reverence, but also an indispensable part in the cultural and spiritual discovery journey of many people. Please visit and feel the purity at this temple!