1.

QUANG HOA PAGODA

Located on a small peninsula to the west of Thien Quang Lake is a cluster of 3
pagodas Thien Quang, Quang Hoa and Phap Hoa. The cluster of pagodas belongs
to house number 31-33 Tran Binh Trong street, Nguyen Du ward, Hai Ba Trung
district, Hanoi. From Hanoi city center, go south along Ba Trieu street. At the
intersection of Ba Trieu - Nguyen Du, turn right onto Nguyen Du street. Continue
to Tran Binh Trong street, turn left, go to house number 31-33. The cluster of 3
pagodas is ranked as an architectural and artistic relic according to Decision No.
1821/VH-QD dated November 6, 1989 of the Ministry of Cultural information.
The most prominent among the three pagodas is Quang Hoa Pagoda (or the name
is Quang Hoa Tu). According to the Quang Hoa thien tu su tich bi ky stele,
chronology of Tu Duc (1866): Quang Hoa Pagoda is an ancient temple that has yet
to be identified. It started out as a small house made of thatch that was restored
many times and built on a larger and more spacious scale. The main temple faces
south. The scale of the pagoda is quite sizeable with 7 front halls and 5 upper halls,
behind are 10 pavilions of the To house and the Mau house. On either side are two
rows of Guest houses. On the left is the tower garden, which is interspersed with
large courtyards and green trees. Quang Hoa Pagoda was rebuilt in 1936.
The outstanding value of Quang Hoa Pagoda focuses mainly on decoration, so the
architecture and collection of antiques are preserved at the temple. The paintings of
medical subjects and paintings are elaborately carved with topics such as four
spirits, old bamboos, plant patterns, etc., combined with the art of embossed and
carved meticulously to every detail, have transformed the paintings with simple
decorative details into works of art, creating remarkable highlights on the
architectural structure.
In particular, the system of statues here is quite rich and full of characters from the
Mahayana Buddhist temple. Also according to the Quang Hoa thien tu su tich bi ky
stele, which tells the story, the statues of the temple were mainly created in the
early 19th century, notably the set of statues of Tam The, Di Da Tam Ton, Hoa
Nghiem Tam Thanh which are shown very well featured according to the standards
of creating statues but no less vivid.
The system of stone steles still in the temple is also very plentiful. The oldest are
Minh Menh 2nd year stele (1821), Minh Menh 6th year stele (1825), Minh Menh
12th year stele (1831) and Tu Duc 19th year stele (1866), the 34th year Tu Duc
stele (1882), Bao Dai stele (1938)…
It's rare to find a place where on the same campus is not very large, there are 3
independent temples at the same time. The existence of these temples is also a
source of material contributing to understanding the history of Thang Long -
Hanoi.

2. THIEN QUANG PAGODA

Located on a small peninsula to the west of Thien Quang Lake is a cluster of 3
pagodas Thien Quang, Quang Hoa and Phap Hoa. The cluster of pagodas belongs
to house number 31-33 Tran Binh Trong street, Nguyen Du ward, Hai Ba Trung
district, Hanoi. From Hanoi city center, go south along Ba Trieu street. At the
intersection of Ba Trieu - Nguyen Du, turn right onto Nguyen Du street. Continue
to Tran Binh Trong street, turn left, go to house number 31-33. The cluster of 3
pagodas is ranked as an architectural and artistic relic according to Decision No.
1821/VH-QD dated November 6, 1989 of the Ministry of Cultural information.
Next to Quang Hoa pagoda is Thien Quang pagoda (or its name is Thien Quang
Tu) with a more modest scale, separated by a mezzanine wall. The pagoda faces
the west, the campus as well as the architectural scale of the temple is small and
simple. Behind the pagoda, there are still two tomb towers of the abbots who have
passed away.
The main value of the pagoda is concentrated through the system of round statues
through the art of sculpting statues of ancient artisans. Due to the fluctuations of
history, the temple can no longer keep all the statues as before. But the remaining
statues are statues of high historical and artistic value. Among them, the most
prominent is the luminescent Bodhisattva and Amitabha statues, in the style of the
late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. In general, these are beautiful
statues, full of sculpture and art. Thien Quang Pagoda was rebuilt in 1936.
It's rare to find a place where on the same campus is not very large, there are 3
independent temples at the same time. The existence of these temples is also a
source of material contributing to understanding the history of Thang Long -
Hanoi.
 3. PHAP HOA PAGODA
Located on a small peninsula to the west of Thien Quang Lake is a cluster of 3
pagodas Thien Quang, Quang Hoa and Phap Hoa. The cluster of pagodas belongs
to house number 31-33 Tran Binh Trong street, Nguyen Du ward, Hai Ba Trung
district, Hanoi. From Hanoi city center, go south along Ba Trieu street. At the
intersection of Ba Trieu - Nguyen Du, turn right onto Nguyen Du street. Continue
to Tran Binh Trong street, turn left, go to house number 31-33. The cluster of 3
pagodas is ranked as an architectural and artistic relic according to Decision No.
1821/VH-QD dated November 6, 1989 of the Ministry of Cultural information.
Phap Hoa Pagoda is a small pagoda facing the surface of Thien Quang Lake
looking to the east. According to the people around here, after moving, because of
lack of materials, the two villages of Quang Hoa and Phap Hoa had to build a
temple together and take the name Quang Hoa (or the word Phap Hoa Tu). In 1951,
the villagers of Phap Hoa wanted to build their own pagoda. The government at
that time cut 2 rows of 3-room outbuildings of Quang Hoa pagoda for Phap Hoa
villagers to build a new pagoda. With the difficulties of the first time, and the years
of ups and downs later, but many years later, Phap Hoa temple has not changed
much. Relics along with time are also lost. In recent years, with the attention and
support of all levels, departments and branches, along with the merits of the
people, the temple has been remodeled and more spacious. At the temple, the stone
stele carved by the ancients still clearly states: "The village temple called Phap
Hoa is a fairy tale ... a famous pagoda long since...".
It's rare to find a place where on the same campus is not very large, there are 3
independent temples at the same time. The existence of these temples is also a
source of material contributing to understanding the history of Thang Long -
Hanoi.