Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Pagoda of Hanoi

Located in the heart of Hanoi, Tran Quoc Pagoda is a stop that reminds many values of spirituality, history, and architecture. This is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Hanoi capital. Let’s explore the beauty of this thousand-year-old ancient pagoda through the article below.

History and cultural values of Tran Quoc Pagoda

Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on an island east of West Lake (Tay Ho District, Hanoi). The pagoda was erected in the pre-Ly dynasty (Ly Nam De, 541-547), in Y Hoa village, near the Red River bank with the first name of “Khai Quoc” (meaning opening the country). This is also the temple associated with the birth of the first state in Vietnam – Van Xuan state.

Combining the majesty, the ancient with the elegant landscape between the tranquility of a vast lake, the pagoda was considered the Buddhist center of Thang Long citadel in the Ly and Tran dynasties.

With a history of building over a thousand years, where the capital of Buddhism in the Ly – Tran period, Tran Quoc pagoda is considered as a famous place of ancient Thang Long and Hanoi capital today.

The Architecture of Tran Quoc Pagoda

Like most other pagodas in Vietnam, the Tran Quoc pagoda has many houses. The pagoda has three main houses: the front line, the house of burning incense, and the upper palace, connecting with the shape of Cong (工).

The two sides of the incense burning house and the upper palace are two rows of corridors. Behind the upper palace is the bell tower. On the right is the house of the ancestors and on the left is the house of beer. The temple today still stores 14 steles. The stele in 1815 has an essay written by Dr. Pham Quy Thich mentioning the construction of the temple after a long time of ruin. This work started in 1813 and ended in 1815. Especially, the temple also has a large garden and many towers. There is a Bodhi tree with luxuriant branches and leaves, which is a gift from the Indian President when he visited Hanoi in 1959.

The steles at Tran Quoc Pagoda

The architecture and sculpture of the temple had their mark at the beginning of the 19th century. There are many beautiful statues in the temple, especially the magnificent Shakyamuni Buddha statue and the Bodhi tree in Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Bodhi tree in Tran Quoc Pagoda

A special highlight of the Tran Quoc pagoda is the unique tomb tower of the pagoda behind the pagoda with many ancient towers dating from the time of Vinh Huu and Canh Hung in the 18th century. 11-storey lotus, 15m high, was built in 1998.

Each tower floor has 6 doorways, in each cell, there is an Amitabha Buddha image made of precious stones. At the top of the tower is Nine Products Lien Hoa (9-level lotus) with precious stones.

Through many ups and downs of time, Tran Quoc Pagoda is still located majestically, bringing a peaceful but ancient feature in the heart of busy Hanoi. Every year, the temple attracts a lot of Buddhists in the cross, domestic and foreign tourists come to offer incense, the Buddha’s festival as well as the temple’s scenery.

Experiences when visiting Tran Quoc pagoda

• Address: Thanh Nien Road, Tay Ho District, Hanoi

• Transport: Tourists can easily travel by motorbike, car or bus to get to the pagoda. It’s about 2.5 km far from Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and 3.5km from Hanoi Old Quarter.

• Opening hours: daily

Morning: from 8.00 am to 11.30 am

Afternoon: from 13.30 t0 17.00pm

• Entrance fees: Free