The most 'multi-styled' temple in Southern Vietnam.

The Vinh Trang Pagoda, a national historical and cultural relic (My Phong Ward, Dong Thap Province), is one of the most unique structures in Southern Vietnam.

From a small hermitage built by the district magistrate and his wife for their retirement, in the mid-19th century, the hermitage was built into a large temple named Vinh Truong (eternal, everlasting), popularly pronounced as Vinh Trang.

The building's facade is influenced by European architecture - a sketch by artist Le Tran Mai Han.

Since then, through numerous renovations, Vinh Trang Pagoda has continuously changed in its architecture. It is a place where seemingly opposing elements coexist and engage in dialogue: Asian - European, Classical - Modern, Religious - Secular.

The main hall and ancestral house combine Chinese and Vietnamese architecture - sketch by student Ngo Quoc Thuan.

The building's facade is influenced by European architecture. Specifically, the arches and classical columns evoke the architecture of the 15th-century Renaissance. The roof and pediments are a common decorative feature in 17th-century French townhouses.

Sketches by student Ha Tran Ngoc Vien - Da Nang University of Architecture

The pagoda has a "mixed" architectural style, combining European, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese influences... - sketch by architect Bui Hoang Bao

Meanwhile, the temple's layout follows the Chinese character "囯" (guo), creating a continuous ceremonial axis (front hall - main hall - ancestral hall - rear hall) while also adapting to the hot and humid climate (multiple roof layers, deep verandas).

The gate of Vinh Trang Pagoda has two levels, the upper level has a Buddha statue in the middle - a sketch by architect Thang Ngo.

The inscription on the top wall of the temple's facade reads the year the temple was built: 1854 - a sketch by artist Tran Binh Minh.

The religious areas, such as the main hall and ancestral house, are built in the Chinese style but still retain Vietnamese architectural features with a system of couplets, horizontal plaques, and inscriptions. Meanwhile, in the utility areas, such as the living room, French colonial architecture and Western carvings appear, and the floor is tiled with ceramic tiles imported from Italy.

Sketch by architect Phung The Huy

Within the temple grounds - a sketch by architect Thang Ngo.

Traditionally, the central gate of a triple-arched gate is the largest and most imposing. However, here, the central gate is very small, made of iron in the French style. Conversely, the two side gates are built of reinforced concrete in the style of ancient towers, featuring the art of inlaid ceramic tiles from Hue , used for decoration (featuring the four mythical creatures, the four seasons, and Buddhist stories...).

A corner of the temple - a sketch by architect Tran Xuan Hong

The Maitreya Buddha statue was selected by the British magazine Wanderlust as one of the largest and most impressive Buddha statues - a sketch by architect Tran Xuan Hong.

The pagoda is like a "museum of Southern Vietnamese sculpture," showcasing approximately 60 statues of various sizes (mostly made of jackfruit wood); the intricately and elaborately carved wooden panels depicting scenes such as the Eight Immortals riding beasts , the Fish and Dragon playing in the water ; and the Three Venerable Ones (Amitabha, Avalokitesvara, and Mahasthamaprapta) in bronze… The pagoda also houses a bronze bell (1.2 m high, weighing 150 kg) and horizontal plaques and couplets dating back to the mid-19th century.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngoi-chua-da-phong-cach-bac-nhat-nam-bo-18525111520482998.htm