Top 9 Sacred and Ancient Temples in Can Tho

1. Ong Temple

Ong Temple is an ancient temple with a history of over 100 years located in Tan An ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city. Built in 1894 and took 2 years to complete, the temple is a spiritual center for a large part of the Chinese community, hence it carries some distinctive characteristics of Chinese culture. The appearance of Ong Temple stands out amidst the neighborhood, with colorful architectural elements attracting every gaze. The temple courtyard is enclosed in a square shape with surrounding walls, in the middle is a spacious well-lit courtyard. There is no triple gate but only a single entrance, with a horizontal lacquered board and red lanterns hanging above. On both sides, there are mythical animal statues resembling Qilin. The temple roof is short and straight without the delicate curves of traditional Vietnamese temple roofs, entirely covered in yin and yang tiles, with many decorative animal figures on the ridge such as the pair of dragons facing the moon, carp transforming into dragons, and birds.

There are many humane meanings, vivid ceramic mosaic panels, and animal statues symbolizing peace, prosperity, and longevity. Dragons, phoenixes, sun, and moon symbols are also seen as symbols of luck and enduring prosperity. From the overall structure to the details, Ong Temple follows the principle of yin and yang unity. The entire structure is supported by a sturdy wooden frame, with main columns, secondary columns, and porch columns supporting the temple roof, while the base of the columns is supported by neatly carved round stones. Most of the building materials for the temple were transported from Guangdong by the Chinese, and many worship items also originate from China. Visiting Ong Temple, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the religious and cultural aspects of the Chinese people, as well as witness the spirit of solidarity of the overseas Chinese community. The spiritual and cultural values of the temple have created a unique and distinctiveness unlike any other religious structure in Vietnam. Ong Temple also has a significant role in enriching the diversity of Vietnamese religious culture, creating a melting pot with indigenous religions and beliefs.

Address: 32 Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.

2. Munir Ansay Pagoda

Munir Ansay Temple is the largest and most beautiful Khmer pagoda in the city. Its official name in Khmer is Menivansyaoama, meaning shining gem. The temple features the architectural style of Theravada Buddhism, meticulously designed and built with a distinct Southern Khmer architectural style. Munir Ansay Temple also serves as the headquarters of the city's Buddhist solidarity association. Munir Ansay Temple is a famous tourist attraction in the city, bustling with worshippers and excited visitors during major festivals. Visitors to Munir Ansay Temple will marvel at a temple with a distinctly 'Angkor' style of Cambodia, comprising various architectural elements. The main structures include the main hall, monk's quarters, kitchen, reception hall, stupa for storing cremated remains, Xa Loi tower, and intricately decorated main gate, following the religious beliefs of the Khmer people.

From the outside, on the left side are the monk's quarters, on the right is the reception hall for guests and dining, and in the center of the temple is the two-story main hall, with the Xa Loi Buddha stupa in front. As visitors step through the temple gate, they are greeted by the radiant golden hue of the temple, symbolizing luck and prosperity. The gate is built in the style of a triple tower, with three towers standing in parallel on the gate, creating a sense of solemnity. These towers are also painted in a radiant golden color, a traditional hue often seen in Khmer temples in the Mekong Delta region. Despite being located in the city center, the temple grounds are spacious, with a tranquil and serene atmosphere. Looking from the gate, visitors will encounter a majestic golden pagoda standing prominently in the courtyard, like a protective screen for the main hall area.

Address: 36 Hoa Binh Street, An Cu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.

Nam Nha Pagoda (Nam Nha Buddhist Hall) is under the Nam Tong Minh Su Dao Buddhist Church. The pagoda is not only beautiful in architecture but also has a history closely associated with many patriotic activities of some intellectuals and Vietnamese people. Nam Nha Pagoda was recognized as a National Historical Monument in 1991. Built by Nguyen Giac Nguyen in 1895, originally this place was a Chinese medicine shop called Nam Nha Duong, later rebuilt and renamed Nam Nha Pagoda. It serves as both a place of worship and the headquarters of the Dong Du movement (1907 - 1940) initiated by Phan Boi Chau. During the resistance against the French colonialists, the pagoda served as a gathering place, nurturing the nationalist movement and producing patriotic intellectuals with unwavering spirit against foreign invaders. In the difficult years of the revolution, the Hau Giang Special Commission, and the Nam Ky Provincial Party Committee chose this place as a liaison point with revolutionary organizations across the region.

Nam Nha Pagoda follows the Minh Su sect, hence it is also called the Three Religions Temple: Buddha Shakyamuni, Confucius, and Laozi, originating from China. Nam Nha Pagoda or Minh Su Dao, like other Buddhist temples in Vietnam, advocates vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting but does not require head shaving, resident monks, or brown robes. The pagoda focuses on teaching Buddhist followers to cultivate their minds, live simply, and be self-reliant, producing and developing through self-sufficiency. Even today, when visiting Nam Nha Pagoda during any ritual, visitors can still feel that simple way of life. Despite the hustle and bustle of people coming and going, there is always a serene atmosphere. Nam Nha Pagoda is located in a spacious compound surrounded by a large garden with ancient trees providing shade, stretching to the banks of the Binh Thuy River. It consists of main hall, East and West courtyards, surrounded by park embankments, gates, and fences. The overall architecture of the construction is balanced, sturdy, not only beautiful in architecture but also harmonious with the natural landscape.

Address: 612 August Revolution Street, Bui Huu Nghia Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City.

Buddhist Learning Temple belongs to the Northern sect. Formerly the headquarters of the South Vietnam Buddhist Studies Association in Can Tho province, the temple was founded in 1951. The Buddha hall is solemnly decorated. The three main statues revered in the center are Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Medicine Buddha. The temple is a gathering place for numerous Buddhist followers for activities and lectures, as well as many domestic and foreign visitors for sightseeing and worship. The temple has a long history, formerly being the headquarters of the South Vietnam Buddhist Studies Association in Can Tho province, established by the Buddhist Studies Association in 1951. Originally, the temple had only 3 floors, with relatively simple architecture. From 2012 to 2014, the temple underwent a major renovation into a 5-story building, located grandly in the city center, opposite the Munirensay Khmer Pagoda. The temple's architecture is similar to many typical temple styles in the Southern region, with a large main hall, multiple entrances, and surrounding corridors, spacious and airy. Looking from the outside, the temple gate is tall, with a small courtyard shaded by ancient trees and adorned with many Buddha statues.

Buddhist Learning Temple consists of a spacious main hall for worshipping Buddha, an ancestral altar, a lecture hall (Chanh Tri) containing statues of the Celestial Eye and Celestial Ear, and a space for the remains of past Buddhist followers. Each floor of the temple is solemnly decorated with different Buddha statues: Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Medicine Buddha. People come here to relieve life's worries and sorrows, earnestly praying to Buddha for peace for their families and loved ones. Regarding festivals, the temple annually organizes Buddhist Party Day, Vu Lan Festival... on holidays and special occasions, the temple is beautifully decorated, attracting many tourists and Buddhist followers from afar for pilgrimage and Buddhist festivals. The original intention of the temple was a Buddhist learning center, for virtuous men and women from various places to return for Buddhist practice. It often hosts many conferences on Buddhist teachings. In particular, Buddhist Learning Temple regularly organizes various charity programs. The temple provides free vegetarian meals for the poor, or gifts for students in remote areas. During university entrance exams, the temple often distributes free vegetarian meals to candidates.

Address: 11 Hoa Binh Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.

Hoi Linh Pagoda, also known as Hoi Linh Ancient Pagoda, belonging to the Northern sect, is an important spiritual sanctuary for the people of Can Tho. The pagoda was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national cultural heritage site in 1993. This ancient pagoda owns over 100 large and small statues crafted from various materials such as bronze, wood, cement, gypsum... They are ancient, lively, and extremely exquisite. This is a priceless asset of Can Tho, attracting many tourists to visit and explore. The pagoda has a complete three-gate entrance, main hall, rear hall, and lecture hall. When we enter from the outside, we will pass through the Three-gate entrance nestled under the shade of Bodhi trees, a common sight in pagodas, surrounded by an arc-shaped wall consisting of a main gate and two side gates. The main gate extends forward with two layers of roofs, all roofs of the main gate and two side gates are beautifully covered with blue yin-yang tiles. On the roofs of the main gate, there are decorated chau dragon patterns, a common decorative motif in temples and shrines in the Southern region.

Entering the main hall and ancestral hall, visitors will be amazed by the unique architecture of the artisans. The entire temple roof is covered with red tiles (now covered with moss). The roof system is supported by 16 round teak columns (main hall) and 20 round teak columns (rear hall), with a diameter of 25 cm and stone pedestals, adorned with lotus flower carvings, and each column has scrolls and pairs. The rafters in the main hall and rear hall are made in the style of the main house, the rafters are trimmed and placed on square blocks, trapezoidal blocks, bat-shaped rafters... The front of the main hall is divided into three bays and has one floor. The floor is divided into three bays to worship Shakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The cement roof is cast into fish scale shapes. On the top are lotus buds, wine gourds, dragon-shaped knives, and curved leaves. Like other temples of the Linh Te Zen sect, Hoi Linh Pagoda is a place to worship Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Jade Emperor, and other Vajrayana deities...

Address: 314/36 August Revolution Street, Bui Huu Nghia Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho.

Thới Long Ancient Pagoda Can Tho has a nearly 180-year history. It is one of the oldest pagodas in Can Tho, known for its distinctive and striking architecture with vibrant golden hues. This is a typical pagoda in Can Tho. The ancient temple has ancient architecture with the dominant color being gold. Especially, just driving by, you will notice the vibrant yellow color it exudes. Especially, from the outside, you will immediately see the golden lacquer board 'Thới Long Ancient Pagoda' and the Chinese characters of the temple name. Stepping into the main hall in the middle, there is also a plaque with the Chinese characters of the temple name. Above the entrance gate are the motifs of the chau double dragons. Both side gates are carved with Chinese characters on the outside and Vietnamese characters on the inside. On the left is the word 'Wisdom' while on the right is the word 'Compassion'. In the middle of the courtyard in front of the main hall is a statue of Quan The Am Bodhisattva about 3 meters tall. The statue wears a thin golden robe, with a peaceful expression, and hands resting gently on the ground. Surrounding it are many potted ornamental trees shading the main hall.

To the right of the pagoda is the Vạn Ban Ngũ Hành shrine. On either side of the main hall are 2 towers with 2 Kim Cang guardian statues of the pagoda. Above the main hall roof are meticulous carvings. Especially, the double dragon chau carving is similar to the gate roof. On the auxiliary roof, there are dragon and lotus carvings at the top. Especially, the pillars in front of the temple gate are all carved with different Han script couplets. Above are many Han script motifs. Inside the main hall, the support columns are all carved with a coiled dragon motif. In the middle is a gold-plated statue of Amitabha Buddha. On either side are statues of Bodhisattva Van Thu and Quan The Am Bodhisattva in black wood. Especially, the upper floor of the main hall is quite spacious and has 2 separate rooms. The upper part of the main hall still worships Amitabha Buddha. Below are ancestral statues and Venerable Thich Nhut Tam - who has made great contributions to the renovation of Thới Long Ancient Pagoda.

Address: 120 Hung Vuong Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.

Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery is one of the largest Zen monasteries in the Southwest region of Vietnam. Founded in July 2013, the monastery was officially inaugurated on May 17, 2014. It is one of the largest Buddhist structures in the Southwest region, covering a total area of ​​38,016 square meters. The monastery follows the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen school of King Tran Nhan Tong - the king who led the people in resisting the Mongol invaders. During times of peace, the king abdicated the throne to his son and went alone to Yen Tu Mountain to cultivate himself, founding the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen school. Being a temple of the Truc Lam Yen Tu school, most of the items bear the pure Vietnamese architectural style of the Ly - Tran period. This is a very clear characteristic in the architectural construction of Zen monasteries in Vietnam. And this is also an important factor for anyone to distinguish from the architectural style of Khmer Nam Tong or Bac Tong temples in the Southwest region.

Visiting Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery Can Tho, observing from the outside in, the first highlight of the temple is the very spacious area with many large items such as: three-door gate, main hall, bell tower, drum tower, rear hall... all sharing a common brown tile color with large wooden support columns and a stone foundation that looks very solid. The three-door gate is tall and wide, built in the style of a curved roof with Dao head tiles covered with red tiles. In the middle of the gate is a wooden plaque with raised gold lettering 'Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery', below the plaque on both sides of the gate are two statue of Vi Da Ho Phap (Mr. Thien) on the left and Tieu Dien Dai Si (Mr. Ac) on the right. Overall, the monastery's three-door gate is very eye-catching in the initial glance when exuding an image that is both dignified, modern, and very traditional. Through the gate stepping inside is a spacious courtyard paved with bright red bricks leading to the main hall, where visitors will see two rows of stone statues of Arhats placed side by side. At the feet of each statue are engraved the names of the heroic figures who contributed to defending and building the nation.

Address: My Nhon Hamlet, My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District, Can Tho.

Khanh Quang Pagoda stands as one of Can Tho's most renowned temples with a rich and longstanding history. In 1946, the An Quang Buddhist Institute proposed the establishment of Khanh Quang Pagoda. To execute this plan, Venerable Thich Thien Hoa, the head of the institute, invited Master Hue Thanh to oversee and manage the project in Can Tho. In the early 1960s, with the support of local Buddhists, Master Hue Thanh acquired a piece of land in Tan An village, former Can Tho municipality. In 1966, Khanh Quang Pagoda was officially constructed. The pagoda was named Khanh Quang in tribute to two eminent monks, 'virtuous and esteemed' in the first half of the 20th century, namely Venerable Khanh Anh and Venerable Hue Quang. Initially, due to budget constraints, Khanh Quang Pagoda was temporarily built with wooden walls and corrugated iron roofs, primarily serving as a place for local Buddhists to pay homage.

As one of Can Tho's renowned temples, Khanh Quang Pagoda not only attracts local Buddhists seeking solace and peace but also draws pilgrims from distant places. Visitors to Khanh Quang Pagoda step into a different realm, momentarily leaving behind the worries and hustle of life to attain tranquility and serenity. Exploring Khanh Quang Pagoda allows visitors to deepen their understanding of its establishment and development, as well as of Buddhism in Can Tho. Can Tho offers many captivating tourist destinations. Alongside historical and cultural relics, spiritual destinations are favored by many domestic and international tourists. If traveling to Can Tho, visitors should not miss Khanh Quang Pagoda - one of Can Tho's oldest and most historically significant temples.

Address: 97 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Tan An, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.

On one of Can Tho's bustling streets, Quang Duc Pagoda offers a tranquil escape to appreciate the beauty of Buddhism. Enjoy the elegance of intricate carvings on doors, columns, and curtains. Inside the main hall, the space is quite spacious. The tiled floor gleams brightly and is impeccably clean. Buddha statues are placed high, radiating a brilliant glow. Many Buddhists and locals visit Quang Duc Pagoda to light incense, pray for blessings, and seek peace. The temple architecture follows the Hoang Phap style and bears the distinctive characteristics of southern Vietnamese temples. The pagoda features a two-story main hall and a side tower. Intricate designs adorn the interior, from decorative motifs on the roof and columns to Buddha statues inside.

Outside the temple compound stands a golden gate with the inscription Quang Duc Pagoda. At the top of the highest roof are Han characters spelling out the temple's name. The predominant colors are red and gold. The tiled roof is intricately carved with dragon motifs at the apex. While the pagoda has a triple gate, it differs from others as it lacks a traditional gate structure (without a gate roof). Each gate pillar bears lengthy Han character couplets. Upon entering the temple compound, you'll see a statue of Maitreya Buddha in front of the main hall. To the right is a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Inside the main hall, intricately carved Buddha and dragon motifs adorn the area, with a gold-plated plaque above bearing the words Quang Duc Pagoda. Inside is an altar dedicated to Amitabha Buddha with a gold-plated seated Buddha statue. To the left of the temple compound is the location of the pagoda tower. Behind the tower is a golden painting of the Bodhi tree and lotus flowers. Accompanying it are poems about the Buddhist teachings translated from Chinese. Particularly, daily Buddhist ceremonies and preaching are held here. During major festivals like Vu Lan and Buddha's Birthday, grand ceremonies and releasing of fish ceremonies are organized.

Address: 146 Mau Than Street, An Phu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.