Ancient pagodas in Bac Ninh recognized as World Heritage by UNESCO

Located in Tan An commune, Bac Ninh province, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (also known as Duc La Pagoda) houses more than 3,000 woodblocks dating mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries. The pagoda is part of the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son Kiep Bac complex, which was officially recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site at the 47th session of the the World Heritage Committee held on July 12.

As a training center for Buddhist monks during nearly eight centuries of the Truc Lam Zen School, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is home to a rich collection of artifacts. These include a system of over 100 statues, intricately carved horizontal lacquered boards and couplets, a large collection of wooden Buddhist scriptures, and eight stone steles chronicling the historical development of the Vinh Nghiem Buddhist Center.

Vinh Nghiem’s two-storey bell tower stands nearly eight meters high with a distinctive six-layered roof. It is located along the central axis between the First and Second Patriarch Halls.

The upper storey houses a large bronze bell cast in the early 19th century. The lower one serves as a reception space, featuring intricately carved ironwood beams in the Nguyen dynasty style, creating a structure of both elegance and spiritual harmony.

Located 40 kilometers from Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Bo Da Pagoda is one of the oldest and most distinctive Buddhist temples in the Kinh Bac region. It sits atop Phuong Hoang Mountain (Bo Da Son) in Van Ha ward, Bac Ninh province.

Originally built in the 11th century during the Ly dynasty, Bo Da Pagoda underwent major renovations under the Le Trung Hung reign.

Bo Da Pagoda preserves one of the oldest and most valuable woodblock collections of Buddhist scriptures in Vietnam. This archive includes nearly 2,000 wood carvings dating from the mid-18th to early 20th centuries, most of which were created during the reign of King Le Canh Hung (1740–1786).

Although the woodblocks are nearly 300 years old, they remain in excellent condition. Their durability is attributed to the unique properties of the wood and the fact that no chemical preservatives were used. The storage facility is equipped with temperature and humidity monitoring systems to maintain an optimal preservation environment.

Bo Da Stupa Garden sprawls across nearly 8,000 square meters on the slopes of Mount Phuong Hoang and is considered the largest and most beautiful ancient stupa garden in Vietnam. There are approximately 110 stupas and tombs of various sizes, 97 of which are centuries-old, housing the remains of over 1,200 Zen monks from the Lam Te (Linji) sect across the country.

Most stupas are 3 to 4 tiers tall and 3 to 5 meters in height, with the founder’s stupa being particularly large and grand. These structures were built using terracotta bricks, mountain stone, and a unique mortar made from sugarcane molasses and paper pulp, resulting in highly durable construction withstanding the test of time.

The stupas garden was recognized as a Special National Historical and Architectural Site in 2016.