Ba Danh Pagoda is located in Ngoc Son commune, Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province.
The pagoda covers about 10 hectares, crowned as one of the most beautiful and ancient pagodas not only in Ha Nam province but also in Northern Vietnam.
The pagoda faces south where the Day river flows, its three-doored gate near the river bank. The gate is exalted, built up to five steps with the typical ancient Vietnamese architectural structure. The three-doored gate has three compartments and two floors.
This gate is only opened on special occasions. For weekdays, visitors enter and leave the pagoda mostly through the sub-gate on the right hand side of the main gate. The main area of the pagoda is a precinct consisting of the ceremonial hall, a neat square-tiled yard and two rows of corridors on both sides.
These structures are also built according to the ancient architecture, made of highly durable “lim” (ironwood) with its roofs covered in red tiles. The ceremonial hall has five compartments, on the banks of the roof there are a pair of dragons facing up “towards the moon”.
The columns and rafters were sophisticatedly engraved with various themes, such as “Ngu Phuc” (“five blessings” with the five bats holding letters wishing wealth, position, longevity, good health, and security in their mouths), “Tu Linh” (“four mythical animals” including dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix), “Tung Ma” (“pine tree and horse”), “Mai Dieu” (“apricot blossom and bird”)...
Inside the pagoda, visitors can see many old stone statues, ancient stone stelae and large bells. The statue of Ba Danh is in the central hall. This place only opens for the opening ceremony of the pagoda on the 3rd of January and the ceremony of Ba Danh pagoda in February, both on the lunar calendar.
"As absent as Ba Danh Pagoda" is a familiar saying of the Vietnamese people. The reason is that in the past, the pagoda was located in a rugged terrain with difficult access.
However, now the road to the pagoda has been widened, with a bridge over the river for convenient transportation. Therefore, the familiar saying "as absent as Ba Danh Pagoda" now arouses curiosity and attracts tourists and worshipers to the pagoda./.
