Bai Dinh Pagoda is the largest pagoda in Vietnam
Bai Dinh Pagoda is a large pagoda complex with many Asian and Vietnamese records established such as the pagoda with the largest gold-plated bronze Buddha statue in Asia, the pagoda with the longest Arhat corridor in Asia,[2] 3 ] has the largest bronze Maitreya symbol in Southeast Asia... This is the largest pagoda and owns the most records in Vietnam. The construction and expansion of the new pagoda area was inaugurated by delegates attending the 2008 World Vesak Celebration of phase 1. In 2010, Bai Dinh Pagoda was the venue for the first Buddha Reception Ceremony from India. Return to Vietnam.
The United Nations Vesak Celebration - Vesak 2014, hosted by Vietnam, took place at Bai Dinh Pagoda in March 2014.[4] The pagoda is located at the western gateway of Hoa Lu ancient capital relic area, on Highway 38B, in Gia Sinh commune - Gia Vien - Ninh Binh, 15 km from Hoa Lu city, 95 km from Hanoi. Bai Dinh Pagoda is located in the north of the Trang An world heritage complex.
History of formation
More than 1,000 years ago, in the capital Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh), three successive king dynasties were born: the Dinh dynasty, the Early Le dynasty and the Ly dynasty. These three feudal dynasties were all very interested in Buddhism and considered Buddhism to be the national religion; Therefore, in Ninh Binh there are many ancient pagodas, including Bai Dinh pagoda, on Trang An mountain range
Bai Dinh pagoda complex includes an ancient pagoda and a new pagoda built in 2003. The pagoda is located on a mountainside, between immense valleys of lakes and rocky mountains, at the western gateway to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. 
The new pagoda's architecture is majestic and massive but imbued with traditional identity.[5] That's why this place soon became a famous destination. The new Bai Dinh Pagoda area was honored by the press as the largest pagoda complex in Southeast Asia[6][7] (however, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest pagoda in the world and Southeast Asia is Borobudur Pagoda in Indonesia
Ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda area
Ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda (Bai Dinh Co Tu) is located about 800 meters south of Tam The Palace of the new pagoda area. This pagoda area faces west, located near the top of a fairly quiet mountainous area, including a front house in the middle, turning to the right is a morning cave worshiping Buddha, then the Cao Son god temple at the end. The back door of the cave is bright; Turning to the left is the temple of Saint Nguyen and then the dark cave worshiping mothers and fairies
This place is located in a land that fully converges the elements of outstanding people according to Vietnamese folk beliefs, which is the land of giving birth to Kings, giving birth to Saints, and giving birth to Gods.[10] In 1997, the pagoda was recognized as a national historical-cultural-revolutionary relic.[11] Although the pagoda area has a history dating back to the Dinh Dynasty with the Cao Son temple in the west of Hoa Lu, the ancient Bai Dinh pagoda has many architectural details and antiques bearing the bold imprint of the Ly dynasty.
New Bai Dinh Pagoda area
Bai Dinh pagoda complex currently has an area of 1700 hectares[19] including the ancient Bai Dinh pagoda area, the new Bai Dinh pagoda area and areas such as: cultural park and Buddhist academy, reception area and landscape park. roads, parking lots, Dam Thi lake area, and animal release lake
In charge of the architectural design of Bai Dinh Pagoda is Professor, Architect Hoang Dao Kinh - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects, former Director of the Central Monument Design and Restoration Center (Institute for Monuments Conservation). Vietnam).[21] The new Bai Dinh pagoda (new Bai Dinh pagoda) has an area of 80 hectares, located on the other side of the mountain from the old pagoda and in the west of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. This is a large project including many main architectural items: 
Tam The Palace, Phap Chu Palace, Quan Am Palace, Stupa, Bell Tower, Maitreya Buddha Statue and infrastructure, auxiliary works, and academy area. Buddhism, reception area, Three outer gates, Three inner gates... were built in many different stages.
The architecture of the new pagoda stands out with large, majestic shapes that bear the mark of Vietnamese architecture such as using local main materials (Ninh Binh green stone, Tu Thiet wood), and brown Bat Trang glazed tiles. dark... The most different thing about Bai Dinh pagoda's architecture is shown in the dark brown dome, curved in the shape of a phoenix's tail, which is not the same as the rough straight lines of Chinese pagodas.[19] The details of the pagoda's architecture also bear the mark of famous traditional craft villages in Vietnam.
When built, Bai Dinh Pagoda was called a "great construction site" with 500 artisans, including many groups of workers from famous craft villages such as Phuc Loc carpentry, Ninh Van stone carving station, Y Yen bronze casting, Van Lam embroidery. , Cat Dang lacquer, Dong Xam silver station... these artisans use local materials such as ironwood, Ninh Binh green stone, Bat Trang enamel tiles... to create pure Vietnamese features in architecture. pagoda Bai Dinh
