Phat Tich Pagoda: Pilgrim heaven

Phat Tich Pagoda, known as the cradle of Vietnamese Buddhism, is located on the southern side of Lan Kha Mountain in Phat Tich commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province (Photo: VNA)

The ancient pagoda is famous for its beautiful architecture, serene landscape and sets of precious stone statues imbued with sculptures of the Ly Dynasty (Photo: VNA)

As recorded in ancient documents, Phat Tich Pagoda was built in the 7th century (Photo: VNA)

Among the remaining sculptures of the pagoda are five pairs of animal statues, including lions, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes and horses, lying on lotus pedestals carved out of large stones that were also recognized as the largest stone animal pairs in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

The pagoda still preserves a set of precious stone statues of the Ly Dynasty with a Buddha statue, 1.85m in height. It is the oldest in the North and is considered a national treasure (Photo: VNA)

Phat Tich Pagoda is seen from the peak of Lan Kha Mountain (Photo: VNA)

Phat Tich Pagoda is famous as the cradle of Vietnamese Buddhism (Photo: VNA)