But Thap Pagoda on the bank of Duong River, Bac Ninh Province was reconstructed in the 17th century by the monk Zhus Zhus (regarded as the founder of the pagoda) and Queen Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc, a daughter of Lord Trinh Trang. In the Nei Kung Wai Kwo architectural style, But Thap Pagoda has the shape of the Chinese script Kung inside and the script Kwo outside.
The pagoda features more than 100 compartments and 10 buildings spread over 100 meters from the three-entrance gate to the bell-tower and back house. Inside the temple are more than 50 statues in different sizes and the most remarkable is "thousand-hands, thousand-eyes" Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin in Chinese) made in 1656 and took several years for completion. Behind the backyard garden stand two stone stupas of the monk Zhus Zhus and Minh Hanh. Once visiting in 1876, the King Tu Duc saw the stone stupa's shape like a pen and named this pagoda But Thap.
How to get there?
But Thap Pagoda is about 25km far from Hanoi, between highways one and five in But Thap Commune.
Travel tips
Dress modestly and respectfully once visiting pagodas.