Located in Tu Son ward (Bac Ninh), Den Do (also known as Ly Bat De Temple or Co Phap Dien) is a sacred spiritual place imbued with the historical imprint of a golden age.
It has long been known as the origin of Ly Cong Uan. The project was started in the 11th century, associated with the traces of the homeland and the journey to visit the homeland of the founding king of the Ly Dynasty.
Initially, this place was just a Thai temple built by Ly Thai To himself on Co Phap land. After his death, the heir, Ly Thai Tong, renovated the structure and officially chose it as a place to worship the emperor.
Since then, Den Do has become a spiritual space to worship 8 emperors of the Ly Dynasty, including: Ly Thai To, Ly Thai Tong, Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Nhan Tong, Ly Than Tong, Ly Anh Tong, Ly Cao Tong and Ly Hue Tong.
Experiencing historical upheavals, the building was completely destroyed in 1952 during the resistance war against the French colonialists. By 1989, the temple was restored to its traditional architecture, recreating its inherent majestic and ancient appearance.
The relic complex is harmoniously arranged with 2 main areas, inner and outer city, including 21 large and small items. Outside are Ban Nguyet Lake, Thuy Dinh House, Van Chi, Vo Chi... creating an open and airy space.
The special highlight of the relic is the booklet "Chieu doi do" placed right in the temple gate area. The work is completely crafted from Bat Trang pottery, with a height of about 3.5 meters and a width of more than 8 meters.
The content includes 214 sophisticated embossed Chinese characters, corresponding to 214 years of the Ly dynasty's existence. This work has been recognized as the largest ceramic citadel relocation project in Vietnam.
With typical historical and architectural values, Den Do has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a historical and cultural relic since 1991. In 2014, it continued to be ranked as a special national relic.
Every year, on March 14-16 of the lunar calendar, a traditional festival takes place here to commemorate the coronation day of King Ly Thai To.
