Thai Vi Temple

It is said that the heyday of Vietnamese Buddhism was under the Tran dynasty, especially from the reign of King Tran Thai Tong. That is the reason that visitors can find many ancient pagodas, temples or vestiges of them in Vu Lam Palace Complex. One of them is Thai Vi Temple, the temple is almost intact to this day.

Thai Vi Temple is an ancient temple in Van Lam village, one of the four villages where Vu Lam Palace Complex is located, where people worship four kings of the Tran Dynasty: King Tran Thai Tong, King Tran Thanh Tong, King Tran Nhan Tong, King Tran Anh Tong. , the generals Tran Hung Dao, Tran Quang Khai and Queen Thuan Thien, who founded the palace.

Thai Vi Temple belongs to Trang An complex with typical terrain of limestone mountains and alternating swamps, which is likened to Ha Long Bay on land. The temple is located in a quiet space, extremely noble and elegant appearance. According to feng shui, Thai Vi temple is located in a prime location, surrounded by majestic nature with high mountains, Ngo Dong river flowing in front.

Thai Vi Temple is not only a valuable historical relic in terms of chronology, but also has the characteristics of Tran dynasty architecture. For hundreds of years, Thai Vi temple has suffered many impacts of time and war; therefore, it cannot be retained as its original architecture. However, in recent years, locals have tried to restore the temple to its original image in the past.

The entire architecture is arranged symmetrically on both sides along the main axis from layout to detail. In front of the gate are two stone horse statues facing each other. The area of ​​the temple is quite small compared to other temples, but it is extremely beautiful and gives visitors a feeling of relaxation. There are two lotus ponds, bell towers, statues and steles of the Tran kings placed parallel in the corridor in front of the upper palace. It is easy to find the patterns commonly used in the Tran Dynasty such as dragons, tigers, chrysanthemums, lotuses, ... on each statue, bell, truss, column, door...

The ground of the temple is quite small, but contains many vestiges of the Tran Dynasty in artifacts such as bells, statues, and stone steles. For those who love to learn history or visit sacred places with glorious historical stories, Thai Vi Temple will be the best choice in the route to discover Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex.

Especially, the temple keeper is knowledgeable about the history of the Tran Dynasty and traditional musical instruments, so visitors can listen to him explain the history related to Thai Vi temple in particular and Vu Lam palace in general. .

One of the most interesting experiences that most domestic and foreign tourists share is cycling to see the surroundings of the temple. Such a peaceful place is where visitors can immerse themselves in the beautiful natural surroundings.

In front of the pagoda is Ngo Dong river flowing to Tam Coc - Bich Dong with clear blue water in four seasons. Surrounding the temple is a vast golden rice field in summer and winter and verdant in the rest of the year. In the distance are towering limestone mountains covered with green trees embracing the temple.

Thai Vi Temple is located in Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex; therefore, on the way to visit the complex, tourists can visit the temple in this way. There are two ways to reach Thai Vi temple, one is by boat and the other by bicycle. Both of these options offer visitors the opportunity to take in the beautiful surroundings.

First, visitors can row a boat along the Tam Coc - Bich Dong route. Until the entrance to the shore, stop at the beginning of the small walkway to the temple.

Secondly, from Van Lam pier, visitors turn right and follow the road parallel to Ngo Dong River to enter the temple. Tourists can choose to ride bicycles instead of walking. This way is more popular with tourists, especially foreigners because of the wonderful feeling it brings when cycling in the middle of a large green field, enjoying the fresh air and looking at the surrounding poetic scenery.

A few small notes:

• Bring some change for parking in case you cycle to visit the temple and donate to the temple.
• Wear polite clothing that covers your knees and shoulders. It is an unwritten rule when visiting any temple, pagoda, or sacred place not only in Vietnam

Opening hours: 07:00 - 17:00

Ticket price: free