(TITC)- Bai Dinh Pagoda is located in Trang An Landscape Complex (Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province), 95km south of Ha Noi Capital. The sparkling scence, great and sacred space has made the pagoda as a spiritual site attracting many visitors to worship, sighseeing, pray for good luck. Owning many records of Viet Nam, the pagoda has become a popular spiritual destination.
Covering a large area of 539ha, Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex includes ancient temple, new pagoda and other Buddhism works.
The new 80ha Bai Dinh Pagoda area was built in 2003, including main buildings of the three-entrance gate, a bell tower, a temple dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Phap Chu Temple and Tam The Temple.
Coming to the pagoda, visitors will be impressed with three-entrance gate with three layers of curved roofs. Connecting with the gate is the 526m corridor with 500 monolithic stone Arhat statues, carved in different forms. The pagoda owns the greatest number of Arhat statues in Viet Nam.
Behind the corridor is the 3-storey octagonal bell tower with three arched roofs, and a great bronze bell weighing of 36 tons. Located just below the bell is a bronze drum weighing 70 tons, 4.7 m high.
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara Temple consists of seven compartments. In the center of the temple is the gilded bronze statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara with a thousand eyes and thousand arms. This 80-ton statue is recognized as the biggest gilt Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara statue in Asia.
Phap Chu Temple worships Shakyamuni Buddha- who founded Buddhism. The temple owns the heaviest bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Asia which is 10m high and weigh 100 tons.
Situated at the highest position in the Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex, Tam The Temple is home to three bronze statues representing the past, the present and the future weighing 50 tons, 7.2m high each. These statues are recognized as the biggest ones in Viet Nam. From there, visitors continue to climb up to the hill to see the Maitreya Buddha statue and pray for good luck and peace.
One of the must-see attractions in Bai Dinh Pagoda is 13-storey stupa called Bao Thap where preserves relics of Buddhas from India and Myanmar. It is considered as the tallest stupa in Southeast Asia. From the top, visitors can see the panoramic view of splendid Bai Dinh Pagoda.
In addition, there are other special items in Bai Dinh Pagoda such as Ngoc Well, 9-storey Bodhi tower, the garden of Buddha stone statues...
Specialy, by nighttime, the beauty of the pagoda is enhanced under sparking electric lights. Visitors can enjoy the cool and quiet ambiance of the pagoda at night.
Thanks to its cultural value and many sophisticated sculpture statues, Bai Dinh Pagoda has become an ideal destination for domestic visitors and international tourists.
Hong Thanh
