PLACES TO VISIT IN VIETNAM – BUT THAP PAGODA

But Thap Pagoda is in Bac Ninh Province. But Thap Pagoda is 30 km from Hanoi and But Thap Pagoda is the most beautiful pagoda in the North of Vietnam. But Thap Pagoda owns amazing statues and stone pictures; But Thap Pagoda is an amazing place to visit in Vietnam.

PLACES TO VISIT IN VIETNAM – BUT THAP PAGODA

But Thap Pagoda is also called Ninh Phuc Tu, located at the side of Duong River. But Thap Pagoda is in Dinh To Village, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. The pagoda of But Thap is about 30 kilometers away from center of Hanoi city in Vietnam. The local people call this pagoda with another name, Nhan Phap Pagoda. But Thap Pagoda is the special cultural heritage of Vietnam and the biggest Buddha statue and lady Buddha with thousand eyes and thousand hands are in But Thap Pagoda.

There is no official document which shows the time But Thap Pagoda was built but it is said that But Thap Pagoda appeared when Tran Thanh Tong was the king of Vietnam (1258 - 1278). Until 17th century, But Thap Pagoda was famous in the North of Vietnam and many high ranking monks had been stayed here. Trinh Ngoc Truc Queen and his daughter Le Thi Ngoc Duyen had spent money to renovate But Thap Pagoda. The renovation was finished in 1647 and the design and styles of But Thap Pagoda today is the format of the pagoda was built at that time. In 1876, Tu Duc Kinh passed by this area, saw huge tower in the pagoda and Tu Duc King called the pagoda as But Thap Pagoda. As the pagoda of But Thap owns precious values of architectures, design and history and the pagoda of But Thap was recognized as special cultural heritage of Vietnam in 1962.

But Thap Pagoda is one of the ancient pagodas which were left in the North of Vietnam till today. The pagoda of But Thap owns amazing and unique architecture, designs and styles. The architecture of the pagoda But Thap is greatly designed and has wonderful combination with the nature of surrounding countryside. All major sites of the pagoda But Thap face to the South. Base on Vietnamese tradition and culture, as well as Buddhism, the South is the symbol of intelligence and morality.

Many construction sites of But Thap Pagoda were reserved as original from 17th Century. 8 main alters, palaces are located opposite each other, separated by the main arrow.  But Thap Pagoda has amazing Vietnamese traditional architectures which used a lot of wood and spectacular engravings. The whole wooden structures are built on stone foundation. But Thap Pagoda was decorated with many stone pictures and these stone pictures are the most precious and valuable in Vietnam. There is also stone bridge which connects the main palace and the tower house in But Thap Pagoda. The stone bridge in the pagoda But Thap is also unique and the only one in Vietnam. There are totally 51 stone pictures in But Thap Pagoda which were perfectly and wonderfully engraved by many different subjects of arts like animals, flowers, dragons, the sun, and the moon.
The most wonderful art work in But Thap Pagoda is Quan Yen Statue. Quan Yen Statue is statue of a lady Buddha with thousand hands and thousand eyes which was made in 1656 by Truong family. Quan Yen statue in But Thap Pagoda is 3,7 meter tall, 2,1 meter wide and 1,15 meter thick. The longest arm of Quan Yen Statue is 2 meter long. Quan Yen Statue has 11 heads, 42 big hands and 952 other hands which are made in different length. The Quan Yen Statue in But Thap Pagoda is considered as the most wonderful engraving art in Vietnam. Quan Yen Statue was sat on lotus flowers which were raised up by a monster which shows the power of Quan yen. All the engravings of Quan Yen Statue in But Thap Pagoda were carefully made in very details, especially all the eyes of Quan yen Statue look like Quan Yen is observing the whole universal. The whole Quan Yen Statue in But Thap Pagoda look like thousand light beams sparking from the center. The other two statues To Su and Quan Am Thi kinh were also the wonderful art works in But Thap Pagoda, together with Quan Yen Statue make these become the most amazing three art works in Vietnam. There are 70 other wooden statues in But Thap Pagoda which have different faces and sat in different position.
Another amazing art work in But Thap Pagoda is Cuu Pham Lien Hoa Tower with 9 stories high. This tower were made of wood with spectacular engravings from bottom to the top and this is only one in Vietnam and considered as the most beautiful tower in all pagodas in Vietnam.

Bao Nghiem Tower is located at the right side of But Thap Pagoda and Bao Nghiem Tower was made of stone. Bao Nghiem Tower is 13,05 meters tall which looks like a giant pen rising up to blue sky. Each side of Bao Nghiem Tower in But Thap Pagoda is 2 meter wide which decorated by wonderful stone engravings with flowers, animals, dragons. A small bell is hung at each corner of Bao Nghiem Tower in But Thap Pagoda.

But Thap Pagoda is the biggest and the most wonderful pagoda in the North of Vietnam as well as the whole country. The pagoda But Thap owns spectacular designs and great values of art, architecture and Vietnamese traditional designs. All these make But Thap Pagoda become one of the most wonderful places to visit in Vietnam, especially for travelers who visit the North of Vietnam. It is totally different from most of other temples and pagoda in Vietnam, most of the time, But Thap Pagoda is quiet and offering peaceful atmosphere.