Thai Lac Pagoda
Thai Lac Pagoda is situated in Thai Lac village, Lac Hong commune, Van Lam district. Along with its Buddha worship, the pagoda is also decicated to Phap Van (The Goddess of Cloud), so it is originally known by the name of Phap Van.
Thai Lac Pagoda was built in the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) and mended in 1609, 1612, 1630-1636, 1691-1703. Its layout follows noi cong ngoai quoc architectural style (One of the pagoda’s main architectual styles in Vietnam), including a five - compartment tien duong (Forecourt), a three - compartment thuong dien (Main sanctuary), two rows of corridor with nine compartments in each row and a seven - compartment patriarchs worshipping house.
The structure of rooftop's wooden endings in the main sanctuary, dating back to the Tran dynasty, has not changed much since it was built. There are not many pagodas, whose wooden structures have not changed much through time like Thai Lac Pagoda in the country. Along with Thai Lac Pagoda, Dau and Boi Khe pagodas are the other outstanding ones. The rooftop's endings have gong - shelf shapes and stand against the four - pillar structure. The architecture of the rooftop's endings is harmonious with their decoration. There are various big carved pictures on the rooftop's endings. If Thai Lac Pagoda had been kept intact, there would have been about 20 embossed pictures with different features such as: bird - bodied fairies, the figurines carrying lotus pedestal and fairies riding phoenix or playing musical instruments. However, there remain 16 of such pictures in the pagoda.
There remain the statue of Phap Van, three altars and three stone stelae inscribing Thai Lac pagoda's restoration process. All these relics date back to the 16th -17th centuries.
In 1964, it was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a relic featuring very special art architecture.
