DUONG LAM ANCIENT VILLAGE
Duong Lam was the first ancient village to be awarded the National Historical and Cultural Relics title from the Vietnamese goverment. In terms of preserving cultural and artistic history as well as architectural scale, Duong Lam Ancient Village is second only to Hoi An Ancient Town and Hanoi Old Quarter. This place still retains the art and architecture of an ancient village in the Red River Delta. Coming to Duong Lam Ancient Village, you will see signature characteristics of an ancient village. With banyan trees, wells, temple courtyards, winding village roads, small alleys, wooden ancient houses, walls built of red bricks or ancient plaster... Duong Lam appears in the midst of the country's modernization as an ancient town full of nostalgia and peace.
Despite its nickname as the "Forgotten Ancient Town," Duong Lam is now a popular tourist destination. It is a fascinating place to visit and explore, with many sites related to architecture, village culture, and historical figures and events. Each of these places has its own unique story to tell, and visitors should come to see, learn, listen, and feel these stories for themselves.
MONG PHU ANCIENT VILLAGE
The Mong Phu Village Entrance is a cultural landmark from the Le Dynasty, built in the traditional style of a "Thuong gia ha mon," with a house on top and an entrance below. It was once a place for farmers, patrollers, and market-goers to rest and take shelter. Today, it remains a beloved symbol of the countryside, evoking nostalgia and a sense of belonging for those who have left home.
GIANG VAN MINH CHURCH
Located on the grounds of Mong Phu village, Giang family church is a relic built during the reign of King Tu Duc to commemorate the merits of Giang Van Minh - the person who was sent by King Le Than Tong as an envoy to fight the Chinese Ming Court to protect national honor.
THE ANCIENT HOUSES
Duong Lam Ancient Village has a total of 956 ancient houses that were built from 1649. The houses here are all built with 5 or 7 rooms using traditional materials such as Sapele wood, bamboo, terracotta bricks, tiles, laterite, rammed earth or sawdust...The grounds of the houses are spacious and divided into many areas: main house, side house, yard, kitchen, garden, well, barn, straw, gate with a roof... The most beautiful famous ancient houses in Duong Lam are:
PHUNG HUNG TEMPLE
Phung Hung was the leader of the rebel against the harsh domination of the Tang Dynasty during the Northern colonial period in Vietnam. After the successful uprising, Phung Hung built an autonomous government and ruled for 7 years.
To commemorate this special king, Phung Hung temples were established in many places. However, the biggest and most sacred is the Phung Hung Temple in Duong Lam Ancient Village. That is because Duong Lam is where this national hero was born and raised.
DUONG LAM ANCIENT WELL
There are lots of ancient wells in Duong Lam Ancient Village. Like village entrances, wells are considered the soul of many Vietnamese villages. You will see many ancient wells when touring around Duong Lam. If you can, scoop buckets of water from the ancient well to feel the extremely clear and cool spring water.
MIA PAGODA
Mia Pagoda (Sung Nghiem Pagoda) was built on high ground in Dong Sang village. This is where hundreds of rare Buddha statues are kept. As you step into the pagoda, you will feel peace in your soul in such a solemn and pure space of the miraculous Buddhist.
Address: Duong Lam ward, Son Tay town, Hanoi
Opening time: Everyday of the week
Ticket price: Adults: 20.000 VND/person, Children: 10.000 VND/person
The Ancient Village of Duong Lam is only 40-50 kilometers east from Hanoi's city center. You can take bus numbers 77, 70, or 71 to the village and then take a taxi from the bus stop. Alternatively, you can take a bus or private transportation to the village.
