Giac Lam Pagoda, built in 1744 and considered the oldest pagoda in HCMC, is recommended as a place to learn about traditional culture and architecture.Located on 17,000 square meters, the pagoda is dressed up in Chinese architecture in combination with traditional southern Vietnamese décor and features a garden, yard, sanctum, meditation area, altars and a charnel house.
The sanctum, where believers worship Sakyamunin and the 18 Arhats, is most striking and attracts a great deal of attention from tourists visiting the site. Here, visitors can contemplate 113 Buddha statues. Seven are made of bronze and the rest are wooden. They are divided into two sets: large and small. The small set was sculpted in the seventeenth century with portraits and typical facial features of Chinese people. The large set was made in the eighteenth century with portraits and typical facial features of Vietnamese.
“Just apart from a short path, but the pagoda’s space is cozy and still, distinguished from the outside busy atmosphere. At the sanctum, firstly I can discover the culture, next the history of the nation, as well as of Buddhism, clearly presented in the décor of each statue, pillar and each decoration on the walls and roof,” said Stephan Lanz, a tourist from Switzerland.
The tranquil world is enhanced by a tree border and a garden with a lot of kinds of flowers and bonsai. Locals visit the pagoda every day to worship Buddha, enjoy the fresh air and relax and experience the sacred atmosphere of the sanctuary.For foreign tourists, this is a place to explore Vietnamese culture and history as the pagoda has been recognized as a national relic.
Who ever wants to stay overnight to experience the praying monks and locals are welcomed by the pagoda manager who will serve free vegetarian food.The pagoda is located at 118 Lac Long Quan Street in HCMC’s Tan Binh District and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Source: SGT
