Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City is a place that can alleviate the homesickness of migrants from the North.

It also gives southerners and tourists an opportunity to experience the charm of the real One-Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi.

This pagoda, at 100 Nguyen Van Bi Street in HCMC’s Thu Duc District, is a replica of Hanoi’s famous Mot Cot (One Pillar) Pagoda.

Designed by architect Nguyen Gia Duc, the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda was built in 1958 by Buddhist monk Thich Tri Dung.

Its rafters, tile roofs, floral patterns and the arrangement of altars are the same as the Hanoi original.

The Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda is perched above a square lake of about 600 square meters.

It sits on a 12-meter-high cement pillar in the middle of the lake.

Inside, there are altars for Sakya Muni Buddha, Wan Yin Boddhisattva and other sacred beings.

Behind the main section is a tower and a commemorative room.

The lake has a lot of fish and turtles.

The staircase up to the pagoda is decorated with ornamental plants.

In the compound of the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda, there are big statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas (Buddhist deities) in different postures.

The view of the pagoda gives visitors a feeling of comfort and relaxation.

An original sanctuary

The original Mot Cot Pagoda, or One-Pillar Pagoda, is located in Ba Dinh District in Hanoi.

It is also known as Lien Hoa Dai (Lotus Calyx) and Dien Huu (Long-Term Good Luck).

The original One-Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong, who ruled between 1028 and 1054.

The Mot Cot Pagoda has become one of the symbols of Hanoi.

It also appears in the logo of Vietnam Television Station (VTV) and on the VND5,000 coin.

On May 4, 2006, the Mot Cot Pagoda was included in the Book of Vietnam Records as “the pagoda with the most original architecture in Vietnam.”