Kim Lien Pagoda

Standing on a flat strip of land in Nghi Tam village, Quang An commune, Tay Ho district, Kim Lien pagoda is considered one of the 10 most ancient architectural monuments in Vietnam.

The architecture of Kim Lien pagoda is perhaps influenced by the royal palace architecture and initially worships a royal member of the Ly. The layout of the temple includes a symmetrical axis from the three-arch gate to the main chamber. After the gate, there is a courtyard which leads to three houses arranged in three parallel lines in the shape of the Chinese character三 (meaning three). The back and the middle houses facing the west while the front house looks east. Three houses walls are built with thick ancient bricks without plastering. The round windows in the walls are decorated with Buddhist writings. The temple has huge double – eave fish-scale roof. Its column foot rest on rock bases, which were carved with stylized lotus shape.