Thai Vy Temple

Location: Thai Vy Temple is located to the west of Van Lam Hamlet, Ninh Hai Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province.
Characteristics: The temple worships four generations of Kings Tran, Tran Thai Tong, Tran Thanh Tong, Tran Nhan Tong, and Tran Anh Tong.
According to the history, Thai Vy Temple was built during Tran Dynasty (the 13th– 14thcentury) follow the internal attack with outside support (noi cong, ngoai quoc) architecture.
In front of the temple is Ngoc Well by green stone with clear and full water all the year round. Behind the temple is Cam Son Mountains with rank trees. Entering into the temple, at triumphal arch (nghi mon) there are two green stone monolithic horses. Passing the nghi mon, 2-storey iron wood bell-tower with eight-roof of mui hai tile is on the right. Corners of the bell-tower roof are very bend like the tail of phoenix. The bell inside was cast in 1689. Interior temple with spacious worship rooms are decorated very meticulous. Many stone pillars in round or square are carved on with parallel sentences and many shapes such as dragons, phoenixes, unicorn, turtle and the image of cam, ky, thi, hoa (music, chess, poetry, painting - regarded as the four amusements or accomplishments of a feudal intellectual)...In the sanctum, statue of King Tran Thanh Tong (the first-born child of King Tran Thai Tong) is between statues of his parents (King Tran Thai Tong and Queen Thuan Thien). Besides, the votive tablet of King Tran Nhan Tong (the first-born child of King Tran Thanh Tong) and the votive tablet of King Tran Anh Tong (the first-born child of King Tran Nhan Tong) is worship here. Every year, Thai Vy Temple Festival takes place on the 14th day of the 3rdlunar month. This is occasion for people commemorating the merit of Kings Tran. There are activities such as palanquin procession, sacrifice ceremony, human chess playing, wrestling contest, dragon dancing and boat rowing...