The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) inaugurated the Bao An (Paying a Debt of Gratitude) tower, the highest ever in Vietnam, at the Bang A–Linh Tien tu pagoda in Hanoi, on Nov. 22.

Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem, Vice Chairman of the VBS’s Executive Council, Head of the Dharma Propagation Section of the VBS Central Committee, and head of the Bang A pagoda, said the project has been recognised as the highest Buddhist tower and the tower having the greatest number of bronze statues in Vietnam.

The tower’s construction was carried out in 6 years as from 2004 at a total cost of 17.5 billion VND (890,000 USD at current exchange rate) contributed by Buddhist followers nationwide.

The octagonal tower has its doors open to four directions: east, west, south and north. Its 45m-deep foundation is built on 9 pillars with 1m diameter each. The tower has 13 storeys and is 55m high, including a nearly-10m top that is made from bronze and weighs 1,300kg. The tower’s total acreage is 1,500sq.m paved with blue stone.

Inside the tower are 104 statues of the Lord Buddha that are between 0.67m-1.55m high and weigh between 100kg-300kg. Eight bronze books, weigh 250kg each, carved with Buddhist stanzas written by Vietnamese eminent monks, are hung up at eight doors in the tower’s first storey.

Right in the inauguration day of the Bao An tower, tens of thousands of Buddhist monks, followers and tourists from localities nationwide visited the Bang A–Linh Tien tu pagoda./.