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Located in the east of West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, the most ancient construction in Thang Long - Ha Noi, is well-known for its sacred and archaic beauty. In 2016, the Daily Mail (British newspaper) ranked it among the 16 most beautiful temples in the world. In 2017, the travel website Wanderlust.co.uk ranked it 3rd in the 10 ‘most beautiful temples in the world’ for its harmony with the surrounding scenery.
Tran Quoc Pagoda - one of the most beautiful temples in the world (Source: shutterstock)
Tran Quoc Pagoda has always been an important Buddhist center, where kings and mandarins held ceremonies to pray for national peace and prosperity. It is also a destination for many tourists and Buddhists, especially during major holidays such as Lunar New Year or Buddha's Birthday. This pagoda follows the Northern Buddhist sect, which worships Buddha and Bodhisattvas. It also has altars for Quan Binh, Quan Vu, Chu Thuong, Duc Ong, and their attendants.
An ideal place for tourists and Buddhists (Source: Traveloka)
According to historical documents, Tran Quoc Pagoda was built in 541 and its original name was Khai Quoc (meaning The beginning of the country). In 1440, King Le Thai Tong changed its name to An Quoc, which means to pray for peace and longevity of the country.
During the dynasty of King Le Hy Tong, the name was changed to Tran Quoc, which implied protecting the national territory. Although the name was changed to Tran Bac in 1842, local people have been used to the previous name and have kept calling it Tran Quoc Pagoda until now.
Tran Quoc is a 1500-year-old pagoda (Source: shutterstock)
Undergoing many events and restorations, Tran Quoc Pagoda still retains its ancient and solemn features. Currently, it still preserves many valuable artifacts such as Buddha statues, bronze bells, and ancient stone gravestones, enriching its historical and cultural value.
Tran Quoc Pagoda still retains its ancient and solemn look (Source: shutterstock)
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Like most other pagodas in Vietnam, the structure and interior of Tran Quoc Pagoda are arranged in order and according to strict Buddhist principles. It consists of 3 main parts: The Front Hall, the Main Hall, and Thieu Huong House (Incense Burning House). Seen from above, these constructions form the word Gong (工).
The featured structure forms the word Gong (工) (Source: shutterstock)
The Front Hall faces west, and the 2 corridors on both sides are the Main Hall and Thieu Huong House.
This place owns many Buddha and Quan Cong statues, especially the wooden, gilded statue of Buddha Sakyamuni entering Nirvana. There are also many other precious bronze Buddha figures.
The Front Hall conserves many valuable statues (Source: shutterstock)
The building is built of wood, with redfish scale tile roofs, giving it a distinctive ancient look. Behind the Main Hall is a bell tower which formed as a 3-room house.
The Main Hall is the main place of worship (Source: shutterstock)
To the right of the bell tower is the ancestral shrine, and to the left is the gravestone area. Tran Quoc Pagoda now preserves 14 steles, on which are poems of famous scholars at that time.
A poem-carved gravestone (Source: VietnamPlus)
According to Vietnamese Buddhist architecture, Thieu Huong House is the space for burning incense sticks, beating wooden fish, and chanting sutras.
Besides, there is another noticeable building, which is The Stupa. It was built from 1998 to 2003, including 11 floors with meticulous patterns and 66 precious Buddha statues made from gemstone. On the top is a nine-tiered lotus made from gem, symbolizing the purity and enlightenment of Buddhism.
66 Buddha statues in the Stupa (Source: shutterstock)
Tran Quoc Pagoda is open at no charge to visitors every day of the week, from 8 am to 4 pm. On the 15th and 1st of each lunar month, opening time is from 6 am to 8 pm.
On New Year's Eve, Tran Quoc Pagoda will be open all night to welcome Buddhists and people to pray, worship, and share the moment of transition from the old year to the new year.
The 1st and 15th of a lunar month are when Buddhists flock to the pagoda to worship (Source: shutterstock)
Tran Quoc Pagoda is located at 46 Thanh Nien Road, Yen Phu Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi. Tourists can consider the following options:
Otherwise, tourists can use car booking apps like Grab, Bee, XanhSM to go straight to the destination without any inconvenience.
Lasting for more than 1500 years, Tran Quoc Pagoda is distinguished with values in terms of spirituality, history, and architectural beauty. It attracts both domestic and foreign tourists to explore its sacred and ancient beauty. What are you waiting for? Contact Asia King Travel now and let us schedule your fascinating trip!
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