Located in Hanoi. The Asia Record Organization recognized “Asia’s Most Unique Architectural Pagoda” after being listed as a National Historic Site in 1962 and being inscribed in Vietnam’s Guinness Book as the country’s most unique architectural pagoda for seven years. This once again confirmed the historical and architectural values of the almost thousand-year-old pagoda.
The pagoda was built in 1049 in the Ly Thai Tong Dynasty. King Ly Thai Tong (reigned 1028-1054) dreamed that he met the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who presented him with a baby while sitting on a lotus flower.When he woke up, he told the mandarins about his dream and the monk Thien Tue advised him to build a pagoda in the middle of a lotus pond, similar to his dream.
Beyond the Tran, PostLe and Nguyen dynasties with some restorations, the pagoda retains its original architecture. It appears to be a lotus flower emerging from the water surface, showing aesthetic taste and enlightening Buddhist philosophy. “The Mot Cot Pagoda is the symbol of Buddhism and has great meaning. Though small, its architecture is unique and contemporary architectural works cannot be compared with it,” said monk Thich Duc Nghiep, deputy secretary-general of Vietnam Buddhist Shangha.The pagoda is built of wood on a single stone pillar and has a lotus flower that makes it unique. The roof of the pagoda is decorated with dragons flanking the moon. In the pagoda, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara sits in the highest position on a wooden and red-lacquered Buddha throne.
With great values in terms of architecture, history and culture, Mot Cot Pagoda has become one of the most famous pagodas in Vietnam and an exciting travel destination.
