THE BEAUTY OF THE HOA LU ANCIENT CAPITAL

Hoa Lu Ancient capital is one of the unique destinations in the Trang An heritage complex. This place is rich in cultural values and the long history of Vietnam. Hãy nghe Nguyễn Thị Huyền (Vĩnh Phúc) một travel blogger nổi tiếng bật mí .

Hoa Lu Ancient capital is considered the first capital of Vietnam, which existed for about 42 years. This land has witnessed the process of building and protecting the country by many dynasties. Today it has become a historical relic site that attracts many tourists when coming to Ninh Binh.

Coming to Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, you will be attracted by this place’s nostalgia and wonderful scenery. The ancient capital is located in a favorable position, with water in front and mountains behind, so it played an important role in historical events and the economic and cultural development of dynasties such as the Dinh dynasty, the Tien Le dynasty, and the Ly dynasty.

The gate of Hoa Lu Ancient capital (Picture: author)

1. Two of the most typical architectures in Hoa Lu ancient capital

Temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang

The temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang is one of the most important relics in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu because King Dinh Tien Hoang was the first king of Dai Co Viet. As one of our country's unique architectural works built in the 17th century, King Dinh Tien Hoang Temple is a complex that includes majestic works such as the Ngo Mon Gate, lotus pond, flower garden, The outer ritual gate, the inner ritual gate and three worship halls, Thien Huong and the harem. In the back, the Hau placed a statue of King Dinh and his sons. In addition, King Dinh temple is also decorated with many shapes and intricately carved motifs on wooden and stone pillars with images of dragons, clouds, fairies, flowers, etc.

The temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang (Picture: author)

Temple of King Le

King Le's temple is located about 300m from King Dinh's temple, the front-facing Hoa Lu central square. The temple was built with three buildings including Bai Duong and Thien Huong to worship Pham Cu Luong - the person who helped Le Hoan ascend to the throne in the past. In the main area of the palace is the place to worship King Le Dai Hanh, on the left is Le Ngoa Trieu, son of King Le, and on the right is worshiped Queen Duong Van Nga.

The entrance to the temple of King Le (Picture: author)

In addition, Hoa Lu ancient capital has many places to visit such as: Hoa Lu Tu Tran, antique exhibition area, historical relics and Am Tien cave.

The area of gallery (Picture: author)

2. Experience exploring the Hoa Lu Ancient capital

I visited Hoa Lu ancient capital on the beginning of March so the atmosphere was very cool and convenient for exploring the entire vast area of Hoa Lu ancient capital. The appropriate time to travel to Hoa Lu is from March to May because, at this time, the weather is usually stable, mildly sunny, and not too hot.

If you want to see golden rice fields, the end of May is a perfect time. Besides, if you want to participate in traditional festivals such as the Co Lau Festival, go to Ninh Binh in the third lunar month. This is an opportunity to understand deeply about the culture of this place.

To go around the ancient capital area, my friends and I rented bicycles at a store at the entrance gate, but you can also walk between locations inside Hoa Lu ancient capital because it is not too far from each other. That's why you should choose cool clothes and comfortable shoes, in addition, you need to dress politely and discreetly, absolutely not causing disorder or littering public places affecting the antiquity of the relic site.

The Ancient capital of Hoa Lu is not only a great cultural heritage but also a majestic picture of the interaction between humans and nature. So this is a place you should visit at least once.

Nguyễn Thị Huyền (Vĩnh Phúc)