Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Saigon/HoChiMinh City

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Saigon/HoChiMinh City

The Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is one of the largest pagodas in Vietnam. It was built in traditional Vietnamese style but unlike other pagodas in the country, it was the first to be built with concrete rather than wood.

The Vinh Nghiem Pagoda stands on the site of a wooden Ly Dynasty pagoda that dates back to 1225. Two monks from North Vietnam, Thich Tam Giac and Thich Thanh Kiem, worked to rebuild the old pagoda in concrete ensuring durability. The design was by eminent architect, Nguyen Ba Lang and it was built between 1964 and 1971.

The Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is a complex of several unique buildings. All the structures have Chinese style roofs with upturned cornices. The Avalokitesvara Stupa in the left part of the upper courtyard is the largest Buddhist building in Vietnam. It consists of seven floors. A large bell donated by the Japanese Buddhist Sanga hangs next to the Stupa. The ground floor has the offices of the temple, a library and an auditorium. The grand sanctuary is on the second floor and visitors are not allowed. Another tower with a curved roof holds urns containing ashes of Buddhist monks. The quiet secluded Vinh Nghiem Pagoda becomes a crowded bustling venue during Buddhist festivals.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda on Map

Sight Name: Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
Sight Location: Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam (See walking tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam

Create Your Own Walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City

Create Your Own Walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City

Creating your own self-guided walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Saigon/HoChiMinh City Introduction Walking Tour

Saigon/HoChiMinh City Introduction Walking Tour

While many still refer to the city as Saigon, it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 1976 after the reunification of North and South Vietnam. The name honors the first leader of communist North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. But many still call the inner business district Saigon, while the larger metropolitan area is known as HCMC.

For most of its early history, this was a scarcely populated area...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles
Chinatown Walking Tour

Chinatown Walking Tour

The relationship between Vietnam and China traces back over 2,000 years. Over this time, Vietnamese culture, customs, administrative system, and even the language have been heavily influenced by the great northern neighbor. So much so, in fact, that although Vietnam had its own spoken language, until the late 1800s its official written language was Chinese.

Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh City,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Shopping Tour

Shopping Tour

Among other accolades, Ho Chi Minh City is known as a great shopping destination. Attesting to its reputation are a plethora of street markets scattered throughout the city, selling all sorts of fresh local produce, including coffee beans, and other delights, not to mention street food and souvenirs – all at extremely competitive prices. There are also designated markets specialized in niche...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historical Religious Sites

Historical Religious Sites

For centuries, Vietnamese people have practiced Confucianism and Buddhism brought over from neighboring China. Added to these Eastern teachings, in the 16th century, was Christianity – introduced to Vietnam by Western missionaries. The result of this variety of faiths has become a mixture of gorgeous Confucian and Buddhist temples and Catholic churches in Ho Chi Minh City. Some of these...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles