Published:  15:50 Tuesday - November 29, 2011

With the total area of 700 ha, Bai Dinh Pagoda is the largest religious complex in Vietnam, also the biggest pagoda in ASEAN with many records. The pagoda is famous for its great size and imposingness.

• Mui Ne-Phan Thiet – the place on the earth or in the heaven?
• Tam Dao – the attraction from the familiar name
• A Closer look at the largest Khmer temple in Vietnam
• Visiting the largest irrigation reservoir in Vietnam
• Doi Pagoda – One of the best tourist attractions in Soc Trang

Bai Dinh Pagoda is located behind a range of limestone mountains in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district and Ninh Binh province. When visiting the pagoda one time, visitors in Vietnam tourism all feel its great size and imposingness. Its back leans against the Bai Dinh Mountain with the height of 200m. The area for constructing Ba Dinh Pagoda is 80ha, which is located on the mass of “Bai Dinh Pagoda hallowed culture” belonging to Trang An Tourism Area. Currently, this mass is executing many items of Pagoda including Tam The (Past, Present and Future) Temple, Sanctuary and Bodhisatva Kwan Yin statue, Dharma Temple, Bell-tower, Three-door temple gate, and dormitory area for Buddhist monks, etc. As the Yen Stream flowing under the foot of Huong Tich Pagoda, in front of Pagoda valley, a hundred of  excavators, bulldozers and power-shovels are digging land and build up a dike to make a  huge semicircular lake, which will be taken water from the river crossing to create a landscape of “on shore and under boat.”

Among these great religion works, Tam The Temple and Dharma Temple are still the most important emphasizing point. The area of two Temples up to 1.000m2 (area of the main sanctuary of traditional pagodas is maximum about 150m2 because it is limited by compartments - stipulated by the length of wood beam). Containing four achieving record statues inside, Dharma Temple is high up to 22m. Four statues - three bronze Tam The statues and one Great Buddha Sakyamuni statue - are the pride of “Owners” of Bai Dinh pagoda. Each statue of Tam The weighs 50 tons, 12m high, Great Buddha Sakyamuni statue with 16m high and weighs 100 tons, which are casted by the pure bronze bought from Russian, casted and installed by the famous Artisans of casting bronze statue in Y Yen, Nam Dinh.

Another special feature in Bai Dinh pagoda is “Great Bell” with the weight of 36 tons was casted and located in Bell Tower. In addition, there is 70 -ton bronze drum on the floor of the Tower. What's more, coming to Bai Dinh pagoda, visitors have a chance to see the biggest Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue in Bodhissattva Temple. This statue looks so marvellous with thousand hands and eyes to present the protection and universal salvation for common people.

500 Arahat statues

Surprisingly, visitors joining tours in Vietnam will be astonished at the collection of 500 Arahat statues on the hill on the right – hand side of Dharma Temple. The 500 Arhat statues with the height of 2.3m, carved by Ninh Binh stone have different positions and gestures that create lively atmosphere and magic space.

There is no doubt that Bai Dinh pagoda is masterpiece of both nature and men. It is the pride of Vietnamese people in terms of unique architecture, culture and historical value. If you have a tour to Ninh Binh, Bai Dinh pagoda is a visit-worthy destination for sure.

Vietnam Tourism- Vietnam Travel Company