HCM CITY — Located on Đặng Văn Bi Street in HCM City’s Thủ  Đức District, Nam Thiên Nhất Trụ (Southern One Pillar Pagoda) is not only a place of worship for local Buddhists but also a well-known tourist destination thanks to its unique architecture.

Modelled after the One Pillar Pagoda in Hà Nội, Nam Thiên Nhất Trụ consists of a small one-room temple hall rising on a 12-metre pillar. Made of reinforced concrete, the Southern One Pillar Pagoda worships the Multi-armed Quan Âm (Goddess of Mercy). It is in the middle of the 600sq.m Dragon Eye Lake, which is home to fish, tortoises and lotuses.

Spread over a hectare, Nam Thiên Nhất Trụ was built in 1958 by Superior Buddhist Monk Thích Trí Dũng based on a design by architect Nguyễn Gia Đức. It has become an integral part of the cultural and spiritual life of local Buddhists. — VNS