More than 80 billion to restore Lam Kinh relic site

Located in Lam Son town, Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa province, Lam Kinh ancient capital is a relic associated with the career of King Le Thai To and the Later Le dynasty in Vietnamese history.

Special cultural and architectural heritage

Going back in history, after 10 years of leading the Lam Son uprising (1418 - 1428) to drive out the Ming invaders and ascend the throne, establishing the capital in Dong Kinh (Thang Long), King Le Thai To built a capital city called Lam Kinh in his homeland, Lam Son.

The ancient Lam Kinh citadel was built according to the "mountain-water" terrain, a golden standard in East Asian feng shui. The north of the citadel leaned on Dau mountain, the south looked out to Chu river, with Chua mountain as a screen, the east was Phu Lam forest, and the west was protected by Huong mountain and Ham Rong mountain.

Ngo Mon Gate of Lam Kinh relic. Photo: Quoc Le.

The imperial citadel, palace and temple of Lam Kinh citadel are still intact to this day, with a chessboard layout including the Ngo Mon gate, dragon yard, main hall, temple...

The road leading to the Imperial City has a canal called Ngoc River, this stream originates from West Lake, loops around the front of the citadel and Lam Kinh Palace. Bach Bridge (Tien Loan Kieu Bridge) across Ngoc River is the main way for tourists to visit Lam Kinh Ancient Citadel. The bridge has an arc shape, made in a unique architectural style called Thuong Gia Ha Kieu, meaning above the house, below the bridge.

About 50m across the bridge is an ancient well, the water is clear and full all year round, the North bank is paved with stone steps, supplying water to Lam Kinh Palace. In the past, the well was planted with beautiful and fragrant lotus flowers, at the same time keeping the water cool during the summer days.

To enter the main palace area, visitors will pass through Ngo Mon Gate, which was once the place for ceremonial receptions before entering the palace. In front of Ngo Mon Gate are stone lions dating back hundreds of years. Passing through Ngo Mon Gate leads to the dragon courtyard, which leads to the main palace area. The Lam Kinh main palace is considered the "soul" of the historical site because of its grandeur and solemnity. It is the largest central area, shaped like the character "Công" (I), consisting of 3 large palaces built in succession on a large plot of land: Quang Duc (front palace), Sung Hieu (middle palace) and Dien Khanh (rear palace).

Right behind the main hall are 9 Thai temples, solemnly and sacredly decorated with the shape of an arc embracing the main hall. This is the place to worship the kings and queen mothers of the Later Le dynasty, mainly the Early Le dynasty, with a year-round scene filled with incense smoke, majestic and sacred...

Special stature in the historical process of the nation

Lam Kinh ancient capital is not only an important historical relic but also a living symbol of the spirit of national revival, of the crystallization of Dai Viet cultural traditions and the aspiration to rise up after painful years under the yoke of Northern domination.

The significance of Lam Kinh lies first of all in the original role of this place in the restoration of Dai Viet nation after the fourth period of Chinese domination. This is the place where the national spirit converges, where heroes are born, where farmers, intellectuals, and ethnic groups in the mountainous regions are mobilized to join forces to fight against invaders. If Thang Long was the political and economic center during the Ly - Tran period, Lam Kinh was the spiritual and moral support for a new Dai Viet nation after the dark period. Symbolically, Lam Kinh is like an affirmation that the country can be temporarily subdued but never defeated, and the national spirit can always rise from the lands far from the center.

Thai Mieu area of Lam Kinh relic. Photo: Quoc Le.

Not only stopping at the role of military history, Lam Kinh is also a cultural and political center of inheritance and innovation. After ascending the throne, Le Loi built Lam Kinh into a capital according to the traditional feng shui layout, imitating the structure of Thang Long but with the unique features of Lam Son land. Here, the first kings of the Le dynasty held many important ceremonies, issued great edicts, and was also the burial place of the first kings and queens of the dynasty. Choosing Lam Kinh as the resting place instead of Thang Long shows that the Le dynasty not only wanted to emphasize the origin of a dynasty but also affirmed the importance of a new religious center with its own identity.

The symbolic meaning of Lam Kinh has been maintained in the long flow of history. Throughout the centuries, regardless of the change of dynasties, war or peace, Lam Kinh has always been present as a testament to national revival, loyalty and indomitable resilience. From Lam Kinh, the Dai Viet spirit has always spread, contributing to shaping a unique political and cultural identity of Vietnam during the Later Le period.

Today, Lam Kinh is not only a cultural tourist destination, but also a convergence of precious historical - spiritual - mental values. Lam Kinh Festival is held on the 21st and 22nd of the 8th lunar month every year not only to commemorate Le Loi and the kings of the Le dynasty but also to arouse national pride, reminding us of a glorious historical period and a persistent will for independence. The stature of Lam Kinh therefore lies not in its material scale, but in its historical depth and cultural breadth.

In 1962, Lam Kinh Historical Site was recognized as a National Historical Site. In 2012, it was further recognized as a Special National Monument.

The project to renovate, restore and embellish a number of important items in the Lam Kinh National Special Relic Site is invested by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa, implemented in the period 2025-2027. Items include: restoring 4 Thai Mieu buildings (No. 1, 2, 8 and 9), renovating the Hang Dau temple and building a gate to the relic site. Funding for implementation is mobilized from the central budget and the provincial budget.

Over the years, many important components of the historical site, such as the Lam Kinh Palace, the lakes, the dragon courtyard, the ceremonial gate, and the five royal temples, have been restored and reconstructed. However, four royal temples, the two left and right side buildings, and the Hang Dau temple remain unrestored. This investment is expected to contribute to the overall completion of the most important historical and cultural space of the Later Le Dynasty in Thanh Hoa.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/hon-80-ty-phuc-hoi-khu-di-tich-lam-kinh-post2149044047.html