I visited Tran Quoc pagoda on my summer vacation 2 years ago. Tran Quoc is one of the oldest pagodas located around West Lake, Ha Noi. Tran Quoc Pagoda is more than 1500 years old, which means the place holds such an essential role in the development of Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular. That is why the temple attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. It was constructed in541 and completed in 545 under the reign of King Ly Nam De, and was named Khai Quoc Pagoda. The special features of the Tran Quoc pagoda associate with its structure. Tran Quoc has a special architecture that resembles that of ancient temples in Hanoi. It bears the bold Buddist architectural image with many layers of buildings. You can see it clearly through the three main houses of the pagoda. Why are there 3 main houses? Because Vietnamese believe the number 3 represents luck and prosperity.
Passing through gardens, tourists have a chance to see the sacred Bodhi Tree with heart-shaped leaves. The tree was donated to the temple in 1959 by Indian President Rajendra Prasad. Many people believe that it is a branch of the sacred bodhi tree where the Buddha enlightened.