'Sedimentary features' in the heart of the city

Kim Long Pagoda was built from laterite slabs, with traditional architecture.

Kim Long Pagoda is an ancient temple associated with the formation and development of Thai Nguyen land. After many years of degradation, the pagoda was rebuilt in 2016 and completed in 2018, becoming a familiar spiritual and cultural activity spot for local people.

Kim Long Pagoda is located on a campus of more than 2,000 square meters, surrounded by green trees. From the three-door gate, the delicate motifs and typical Buddhist images are skillfully carved, creating a peaceful picture.

Entering the temple grounds, we will admire the unique architecture of the works such as the bell tower, the feng shui platform, the exquisite sculptures on the walls and the bronze Buddha statues... creating a quiet harmony, making anyone who visits once want to be silent to feel. The temple complex includes the following items: the main temple with 3 rear rooms, 5 rooms, 2 left front halls, the bell tower and the 8-roofed bell tower.

What makes Kim Long Pagoda different is that it is built entirely of laterite - a unique material formed through thousands of years of natural weathering. The stones have a reddish-brown color, rough but warm, with a surface pockmarked like a honeycomb, evoking a feeling of both antiquity and durability. When the afternoon sun sets, the color of the stones darkens, creating a quiet, rustic beauty imbued with the breath of time.

Kim Long Pagoda.

Venerable Thich Quang Thai, Abbot of Kim Long Pagoda, shared: Each laterite is the crystallization of time, patience and perseverance. When choosing laterite to build the pagoda, we want to convey the spirit that no matter the time or circumstance, people's hearts will still be kind and their peaceful roots will still be preserved.

Amid the moss-covered laterite walls, one can feel the breath of the past blending with the rhythm of present life. Kim Long Pagoda is not only a solemn architectural work, but also a memory, a place where souls seek peace. Every full moon day or festival, the number of people coming to the pagoda increases.

The sound of bells mixed with the lingering incense smoke creates a space that is both sacred and familiar. For many Thai Nguyen people, Kim Long Pagoda is not only a place to worship Buddha, but also a place to confide in and find balance after the hustle and bustle of life.

Not only is it a familiar destination for locals and tourists, Kim Long Pagoda is also a place that holds the memories of many people far from home. During her days returning to Thai Nguyen, Ms. Le Ngoc Huyen, who was born and raised next to the pagoda and now lives in Hanoi , always takes the time to visit this familiar pagoda.

“When I was young, my friends and I used to run around the temple yard, listening to the bell ringing in the middle of the summer afternoon without fully understanding its meaning. Now that I’m grown up, every time I come back and walk through the temple gate, my heart sinks. No matter how far I go, I can never forget that feeling,” said Ms. Huyen.

In the modern life, Kim Long Pagoda still maintains its own quiet, unpretentious, and uncluttered features. This is not only a religious space but also a cultural destination, a place to inspire kindness and compassion. The pagoda regularly organizes charity programs, giving gifts to the poor, helping Buddhists and people understand more deeply the value of compassion and the spirit of sharing.

Venerable Thich Quang Thai added: We hope that Kim Long Pagoda is not only a place of worship, but also a common home for people who are inclined towards goodness. Anyone who comes here can find peace, learn to love and live more humanely.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202511/net-tram-tich-trong-long-pho-thi-ff73584/