Van Nien Ancient Temple

The book "Thang Long Fairy Tale" says: "In the 5th year of Ly Thuan Thien (1014), the Most Venerable Huu Nhai, the Church's patriarch at that time asked the king for permission to set up a temporary pavilion in the temple to hold a ceremony for the who want to follow Buddhism. The king issued a decree agreeing to the proposal of the monk. This shows that the pagoda was probably built before the Ly Dynasty because at that time, the pagoda became a favorite place for many monks to stay and practice.

The thousand-year-old pagoda is considered one of the most famous temples in the ancient Thang Long capital. According to history books, Van Nien pagoda was built in the second Thuan Thien year under the Ly dynasty, a year after King Ly Thai To moved the capital. This place is considered the sacred temple of the land of Thang Long - Hanoi with many mysterious and interesting stories.

In terms of Buddhist architecture, Van Nien Pagoda is built with wooden art with indigenous flowers mixed with oriental cultural nuances. The pagoda was built facing the East, with a three-way gate, the main hall, the shrine of the Holy Mother (worshiping Lady Chua Lieu Hanh), the living area for the monks, and the outbuildings.

Surrounding the main architecture are rows of ancient trees that enhance the beauty of Van Nien Pagoda, creating more mystery and tranquility while creating the overall impression of a cultural, unique and harmonious relic. On the roof is embossed the word "Van Nien Tu".

The main hall of the temple has many Buddha statues, notably the rare Myanmar jade statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, 1.3m high, weighing 600kg. On the roof of the pagoda, there are 3 seals "Van Nien Tu" engraved with the meaning of longevity and time. Next to the main hall is the Mother Church Lieu Hanh Princess, one of the four immortals of Vietnamese folk beliefs.

Van Nien Pagoda still preserves many valuable artefacts in terms of art history such as 46 statues, including 26 Buddha statues, 20 statues and mother ancestors; 11 ordinations of Le and Tay Son; two bells at the same time Nguyen and many other furniture of the church. It is noteworthy that on the bronze bell "Van Nien Dai Tu" cast during the reign of King Gia Long (1802 - 1820), there is a record describing Van Nien pagoda as a famous ancient temple with the largest scale in the West of the land. Thang Long.

In 1996, Van Nien Pagoda was ranked as a national art monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).

In fact, Van Nien Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas and has the most unique wooden architecture not only in Hanoi (West Lake area) but also in the North of Vietnam. Located on the shore of West Lake, but the gate at this lakeside is often closed. Because it is not a tourist attraction, the temple does not have a souvenir shop or sell goods. However, visitors can still visit the pagoda from the gate on Lac Long Quan Street. If you have the opportunity to go to West Lake, you can visit Van Nien Co Tu to feel the rare peace and tranquility in the midst of a prosperous and modern urban.