With a deep-rooted Buddhist culture, Vietnam offers many places of worship to visit. The most pleasant and impressive place in the My Tho region is the Vinh Trang pagoda and its giant Buddhas. Located in the heart of the city, it welcomes many visitors from all over the world every day. To get there, we advise you to prepare your journey back and forth. The region being a little far from Saigon, you will have all the trouble in the world to return if you go on an adventure on your own. Why is the place so popular with tourists? What is the history of this place? We’ll detail everything in this article.
An architectural masterpiece
At its core, the place was a small, unpretentious place of worship. Built at the beginning of the 19th century, the expansion work began quickly and was completed in 1849. There are 178 pillars, two Stupa and no less than five places of worship. A clever blend of local and European architecture, the entire site occupies 14,000 square metres.
On the statuette side, the pagoda has about sixty copper statues. You can also of course enjoy its 3 giant Buddhas representing the saint in several positions. At the front of the temple, a standing Buddha contemplates you. Another, in a sitting position, seems to meditate peacefully in the silence of this place. At the back of the temple, an elongated Buddha rests. The Buddha is not the only one to be present in this place.
Indeed, you can also find many representations of the Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy. Inside the temple, you can see in the central courtyard a very successful diorama representing the wanderings of the pilgrim monkey. The sumptuous wall mouldings will also captivate you, transporting you to a magical place where calm and serenity are punctuated by the singing of the bonzes in prayer.
A short walk from the Mekong River
After visiting the temple, you can enjoy the many attractions of the area. At the exit of the pagoda, many restaurants offering Pho and other delicious dishes will allow you to enjoy a hearty meal. If you want to take a sugar break, don’t forget to order a sugarcane juice, which will be pressed in front of you.
In just a few minutes, you can also get to the banks of the Mekong River. This river, originating thousands of kilometres from Vietnam, travels many countries before jumping into the ocean a few minutes by boat from the city of My Tho.
The city of My Tho and its region offer many wonders to discover. This magical place is an almost obligatory passage when you go to Vietnam. So don’t hesitate to note this place in the list of things to see in the Indochinese peninsula.
