Hanoi boasts a large heritage of temples and pagodas, that anyone who cares about traditional regions and beliefs of Vietnamese people from the ancient times until now would treasure.

Among these various famous temples, Thay Buddhist temple is always a destination that should not be missed for those who want to explore the cultural and spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

Trip to Thay pagoda offers visitors a great sense of local Buddhism belief and practices, a chance to enjoy the pagoda's ancient architecture as well as its surrounding landscapes of mountains and caves.

The art of sculpture is expressed apparently in a large collection of statues in the pagoda. The artists have combined wood and soil to shape the statues. The temple has two main systems of statues: the statues of Buddha and the statues of Saint.

Located on the spectacular mountainous scenery of Phat Tich, Quoc Oai district, some 20 kilometers away from downtown Hanoi, Thay Pagoda appears serene, under the vague mist.

In the midst of majestic mountains and hills, the pagoda and its surroundings form a peaceful, quiet atmosphere. This temple is associated with monk Tu Dao Hanh, who had great contribution in education, healing people and founding the water puppet art.

According to legend, Thay Pagoda was built from the Ly (the 11th century), on the dragon shaped land. Thay Pagoda is special and unique because every minor detail creates a perfect form of a dragon.

Thay Pagoda architecture is the integration between indigenous beliefs with Buddhism, between the compassion of the Buddha and the sacredness of the Saint.

Thay Pagoda with the beauty of the natural landscapes as well as the cultural and historical values is really a fascinating destination for tourists.

The roof is covered by big and thick tiles and rests on a frame of 4 big pillars and 12 small ones made of precious wood, all set on stone bases. The pieces of wood carry fine sculptures (dragon, unicorn, clouds, flames).