Vu Lam Palace - a place marked by the Tran Dynasty

Trường Yên, Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình, Việt Nam

Located right in the mountains of the South of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, Vu Lam palace was the place where the Tran kings set up bases to strengthen their forces, hoard food, train weapons to wait for the opportunity to counterattack against the enemy. Nguyen Mong 13th century. Today, Vu Lam palace is a special spiritual cluster that attracts tourists when visiting Trang An scenic spot.

After the first victory of the resistance war against the Nguyen - Mong invaders of our country (1257), in 1258 (Mau Ngo) King Tran Thai Tong just turned 40 years old completed the mission of creating Dai Viet to become a civilized and prosperous nation. He ceded the throne to Crown Prince Hoang, then 18 years old, who ascended the throne and became Thai Thuong Hoang, transferred to Vu Lam to practice. His ordination did not mean relinquishing his power. He assessed that the Nguyen - Mong army had lost to Dai Viet in 1257, but this was a very strong enemy, most likely, they would invade Dai Viet again. Therefore, Dai Viet had to prepare to strengthen its forces, gather soldiers, train regularly, accumulate food, and produce weapons to prevent the invasion of the Nguyen - Mong army for the second time. Thang Long at that time was only not far from Dai Nguyen country, it was a plain, with no danger of high mountains, long rivers, located on the left bank of the Red River, once the Nguyen - Mong invaders invaded again, it was difficult to keep. unable to consolidate forces at Thang Long.

King Tran Thai Tong sent the officials to survey in Truong Yen government, finally chose Vu Lam cave, currently Van Lam village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province, which is a rugged high mountain area to build. Vu Lam Palace. The king went there in the name of a monk, starting the construction of Vu Lam Palace.

Thai Thuong Emperor Tran Thai Tong returned to the Vu Lam mountains to practice with his heart towards the Buddha, but he wanted to build the Truong Yen base to prepare for the second resistance war against the Yuan - Mongols. The Tran kings at that time went to practice, but were still interested in world affairs, religious affairs and life were not separate. Although he was a monk, Emperor Tran Thai Tong still directed King Tran Thanh Tong to run the country, building Vu Lam Palace as a strong base.

In 1258, King Tran Thai Tong built a small temple on the high ground at the foot of the eastern mountain on the Ngo Dong river inside Ca Cave - in Tam Coc. The mountain range located next to that land is Vuon Am mountain, recorded that King Tran Thai Tong built a house here. The place of King Tran Thai Tong was very discreet, the enemy could not detect and enter.

After a while, seeing that it was narrow and muddy, King Tran Thai Tong moved the temple to Vu Lam cave. Vu Lam cave is actually a valley in the northwest of Van Lam village, about 20 acres wide. The center of Vu Lam Palace is Thai Vi Am in Van Lam village, Ninh Hai commune today. This is a dangerous place, the three sides of North, West and South are surrounded by tall rocky mountains, only the east side is without mountains, but there is Ngo Dong River flowing in. With this position, Am Thai Vi is like a treacherous fortress, nature of a defensive construction and convenient for attack.

Vu Lam's palace can be said to be the "stone capital", the Tran kings and mandarins met to make strategic decisions to direct the Tran army and people to prepare and arrange forces in critical places to welcome the army. Nguyen - Mong. At that time, Vu Lam's palace became the directing center and the headquarters of the resistance war.

Until the reign of King Tran Thanh Tong, this place built some more palaces, a road from Van Lam village and built a stone Dragon bridge across the Ngo Dong river, called Dragon culvert.

Legend has it, in 1283, King Tran Nhan Tong built the outer defenses to protect Thai Vi amm to the east. He sent Dr. Dao Duong Bat, a talented martial artist, to the land of Dong Trang village, Ninh An commune, Hoa Lu district today to recruit people to set up a hamlet, which is also the guard of the Hanh palace in the East, far away from Hanoi. Thai Vi is about 5km.

On May 3, the year of the Rooster (May 7, 1285), two kings Tran Thanh Tong and Tran Nhan Tong and Tran Hung Dao defeated a part of the Nguyen - Mong army here. The battle of the Nguyen - Mong army took place in Thien Duong limestone valley. In the middle of Thien Duong limestone valley in Ninh Van commune mentioned above, there is now Cua Ma field and nearby Mo valley, because there are many graves, local people still call this valley "land of war". noted that.

After the 3rd victory over the Yuan - Mongols (1288), Dai Viet at this time was peaceful, peaceful, and free of enemies. Vu Lam Palace still existed and was the place of practice of Thai Thuong Hoang Tran Nhan Tong until 1295, before the king moved to Yen Tu.

Today, when coming to Vu Lam Palace, visitors will experience a close connection with nature, take a boat ride to feel the beauty of the caves, experience a moment of tranquility in harmony with nature. heaven and earth, mountains and then feel more clearly the golden historical values of a time.

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