Giac Lam Pagoda

Giac Lam Pagoda, built in 1744, is the oldest Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City and as such was listed as an important historical site by the Vietnamese Department of Culture in 1988.

Situated in Binh Than District, the pagoda is surrounded by spacious, walled garden and fronted by statues of mythical dragons, the protective guardians to many temples here.

 

Giac Lam Pagoda

Inside, this richly decorated shrine is comprised of three areas: the ceremonial hall, the chanting hall and the refectory. This large and sprawling establishment houses beautifully rendered images of Buddha in various incarnations, along with numerous Taoist deities, each with own altar. All the wooden pillars are decorated with red-and-gold Chinese characters.

The ceremonial hall is dominated by the large statue of Amitabha Buddha, who is surrounded by five smaller Buddha images. Also in the main hall is the ‘nine dragon altar’ depicting the birth of Prince Sidharta, the future Buddha Gotama.

Outside, a new addition, the 32-metre tall stupa dominates the temple grounds. This seven-story high, hexagonal structure contains a Buddha relic housed on the top floor. Visitors can climb up to the top floor for panoramic views of the city. In front of the stupa stands the white statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy on an open lotus flower, a symbol of purity.

Opening Hours: 05:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 20:00 daily

Location: 118 Lac Long Quan, District 3

See more

  • Cao Dai Temple

    Cao Dai Temple is one of the contribution of Vietnam to the world has been the religion Caodaista, religion that takes concepts from Buddhism, Christianitu, Hinduism, etc....

  • Chuc Thanh Pagoda

    Chuc Thanh Pagoda was founded by Monk Minh Hai of Chine in 1454, making it the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Hoi An. Featuring a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese architectural...

  • Kissing Rocks

    With thousands of islets of different shapes and sizes on its surface, there are countless stories about them in Halong Bay. Among those beautiful islets, there are two most...

  • Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

    The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is an outstanding place of interest not only for the Hanoi but also for the country as a whole and was inscribed on the World Heritage List...

  • Bat Trang Pottery

    Bat Trang, traditional porcelain and pottery village with history of seven centuries, is an interesting attraction in Hanoi that tourists should not ignore.

  • Hanoi Opera House

    Undoubtedly, Hanoi Opera House is the most famous cultural and architectural monuments of Hanoi. Also, it is the biggest theater in Vietnam built in 1911. There have been so...

  • Water Puppet Theatre

    Water puppetry is one of typical stage art of Vietnam culture- showing the intelligence, creativeness of people; being specialty of Vietnam’s wet - rice civilization.

  • Hoi An Central Market

    Sharpen your bargaining skills and head south east to Hoi An Central Market, one of Vietnam’s best, offering an unmissable shopping experience. Rich in the smell of...

  • Bac Lieu Sanctuary

    Bac Lieu bird sanctuary is one of the most attractive eco-tourism in Mekong Delta and Bac Lieu province . Bac Lieu bird garden always makes visitors surprised by the...

  • Visiting White Palace

    White Palace is an European architecture in the late 19 th century and it is located on the slope of Large Mountain. It was used to be as a relaxing place for the governor...

Most popular tours

Business info

  • Vietnam Local Guide

  • Address: 18th Floor, VTC Online Tower, 18 Tam Trinh Str.,Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Email: info@vietnamguider.com
  • Phone: (+84) 0904989890
  • Hotline: (+84) 0904989890