Khmer pagoda nearly 1,000 years old in Tra Vinh

Built in 990, through many restorations and embellishments, Ang Pagoda in Tra Vinh City (Tra Vinh Province) still retains the unique traditional architecture of the Southern Khmer people.

Built in 990, through many restorations and embellishments, Ang Pagoda in Tra Vinh City (Tra Vinh Province) still retains the unique traditional architecture of the Southern Khmer people.

According to documents provided by the Ang Pagoda Board of Directors, Ang Pagoda was built in 990, and is one of the few Khmer pagodas built very early in the Southern region. However, at that time, Ang Pagoda was only a small pagoda with Khmer cultural architecture, not yet large and spacious. The building was first restored in 1965, but it was only made of bamboo leaves.

In 1842, the pagoda was rebuilt with precious wood, masonry walls, and tiled roof. The main hall of Ang Pagoda has been renovated but still retains its original architecture. Prominent inside is the main hall imbued with ancient Khmer art, while also having interference with Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and Indian architectural culture.

The main hall's foundation is 1.4m high, built of green stone, lined with ancient Chinese tiles and protected by a high fence, in front is the only 5-topped stupa in Tra Vinh.

The main hall's roof has a unique structure of wooden frame with 3 levels of tiled roofs, of which the top 2 roofs are quite high and steep. The fringes of the roof are decorated with the image of a dragon's body lying down and its scales curved.

In the main hall, there are 12 pillars made of precious wood decorated with dragon images, lacquered and gilded.

The walls and ceiling of the main hall are large murals, showing the life of Shakyamuni Buddha from his birth to his nirvana.

The 2.1m high large Buddha statue is placed in the middle of the main hall, surrounded by 55 large and small Buddha statues shaped from cement and precious wood.

The monks' quarters, hallways, and hallways of the main hall... are exquisitely carved.

The hallway in front of the main hall is cast with the image of a fairy (Keyno), a figure often sculpted in Southern Khmer pagodas.

Close-up of the images of the main gods (Krud) at Ang Pagoda with sculptures bearing the mark of traditional Khmer culture.

The surrounding large lake is shaded with ancient green trees and towers painted in red and gold. In 1994, Ang Pagoda was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports as a national historical and cultural relic, an architectural and artistic form.

The pagoda is a place for cultural and religious activities of the Khmer people of Tra Vinh province in particular, and of the Khmer people of the South in general. This place is especially crowded during the Oc Oom Boc festival on the full moon day of October every year.

Viewed from above, many structures of An Pagoda show signs of deterioration over time. Previously in 2011, the pagoda was renovated and embellished many items such as the main hall, sala, monkshood... in the direction of preserving the traditional architecture of the Khmer ethnic people.

Ang Pagoda's campus has an area of ​​about 4 hectares, belonging to the Ba Om Pond scenic complex, one of the famous tourist attractions in Tra Vinh.

Tra Vinh 1217 view

Hoàng Giám

Source : Vietnamnet

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