One-Pillar Pagoda in Hoa Lu

The temple is built on a stone pillar (formerly a wooden pillar), shaped like a lotus flower rising from the water. Most notable is the 4.16-meter-high stone Buddhist scripture pillar (Thạch Kinh), erected right in front of the temple courtyard. This pillar has been recognized as a National Treasure.

The current Nhat Tru Pagoda is built in the Nguyen Dynasty architectural style, in the shape of the Chinese character "丁" (ding), comprising a triple gate, main hall, ancestral hall, and auxiliary structures. However, archaeologists have found many valuable traces and artifacts (such as wooden raft foundations made of ironwood, lotus-patterned bricks) that provide evidence of Buddhist architectural foundations from the 10th century.

Nhat Tru Pagoda is not only a historical relic but also a living testament to the prosperous Hoa Lu capital and the significant role of Buddhism in the royal court during the early period of national independence.

Many researchers believe that when King Ly Thai Tong moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long and built the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi , he brought with him the spirit and ideas from the Buddhist architecture of the Dinh and Early Le dynasties in Hoa Lu, where the One Pillar Pagoda and other stone pillars were located.