Hoa Lu ancient capital belongs to Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province; It is about 100km from Hanoi capital. This was the first capital of the feudal state of Vietnam. Although it was chosen as the capital of Dai Co Viet for only a short time, in Hoa Lu many important events of the country took place. 

History of Hoa Lu ancient capital

From the Han Dynasty through the Three Kingdoms period to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the ancient capital of Hoa Lu belonged to Cau Lau district, Giao Chi district. By the Tang Dynasty, this area belonged to Truong Chau. During the Ngo Dynasty, this land was the base of Dinh Bo Linh.

In 968, after quelling 12 warlords, Dinh Bo Linh ascended the throne, named the country Dai Co Viet and chose Hoa Lu as the capital. From here, Hoa Lu became the political center of Dai Co Viet country. The reason Dinh Bo Linh chose Hoa Lu to build the capital was because it had a safe and secure location with a system of surrounding rocky mountains and rivers as a moat for military defense.

As of 1009, there were 6 kings from 3 dynasties stationed here. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (Hanoi), Hoa Lu became the ancient capital. The area of ​​the ancient capital at this time has many magnificent and magnificent palaces, surrounded by arc-shaped rocky mountains, magnificent landscapes … making everyone attracted.

If you have the opportunity to travel to Hanoi  , remember to spend time visiting the ancient capital of Hoa Lu.

In the early Le dynasty, Hoa Lu ancient capital was merged into Thanh Hoa. By the time of Le Thanh Tong, these two regions were separated again, Hoa Lu belonged to Truong Yen government, inherited Son Nam province. During the Southern and Northern dynasties (the period from the Le Trung Hung to the Tay Son Dynasty), this area belonged to Truong Yen government in the foreign town of Thanh Hoa.

In 1831, King Minh Mang, the second king of the Nguyen Dynasty, instituted administrative reform, the ancient capital of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh province. In 1975, Ninh Binh province merged with Nam Dinh and Ha Nam provinces to form Ha Nam Ninh province. In 1991, the ancient capital of Hoa Lu returned to Ninh Binh province.

Experiencing many historical events, Hoa Lu ancient capital is still preserved with many ancient imprints; marked a heroic era of the centralized feudal state of Vietnam.

Today, Hoa Lu ancient capital is one of four important core areas of Trang An world heritage complex recognized by UNESCO. This is also one of the attractive destinations of the North, Vietnam.

Experience traveling to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu Ninh Binh in 1 day

Where is Hoa Lu ancient capital Ninh Binh located? Hoa Lu capital is located in Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province Instructions on how to move from Hanoi to Hoa Lu Ninh Binh From Hanoi, it is very easy for you to rent a motorbike or take a bus up to Ninh Binh city. Hoa Lu is about 15km from the center, to get here, continue to take a motorbike taxi (if taking a bus). If you ride a motorbike, it is much more convenient, you can take advantage of a 1-day Ninh Binh tour to combine with many other attractive destinations such as Trang An tourist area or Bai Dinh pagoda. The places are located next to each other, only a few dozen kilometers, so even riding a motorbike is not too tiring.

Hoa Lu ancient capital is about 100km from Hanoi, so it will take about 2 hours to move here. You can catch a bus at Giap Bat, Nuoc Ngam wharf with a cost of about 70-100 thousand. In addition, if you go in a large group, you should take the Ninh Binh tour to save money as well as time to schedule.

When is the time to visit Hoa Lu Ninh Binh?

Ninh Binh, which is famous for being the land of the ancient capital, especially in the area of ​​Hoa Lu ancient capital, still takes place every year a series of special festivals, in order to commemorate the kings who have contributed to building the country. According to the travel experience of Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh, everyone should choose one of the following times to go to be the most beautiful. Traveling to Hoa Lu ancient capital in early spring: After the Lunar New Year is the season of festivals, you can visit on this occasion to have the opportunity to experience the unique festivals of Ninh Binh. Traveling to Ninh Binh in May: The time from March to May is when the Northern provinces are still in the dry season, the weather is very nice to travel before entering the rainy season. Another good news for you is that the end of May is the ripe rice season in Ninh Binh, so you should go to Hoa Lu ancient capital in combination with other places such as Hang Mua , Tam Coc – Bich Dong to discover the beauty. The enchantment of the rice fields is in the golden ripeness.

What places to visit in Hoa Lu ancient capital Ninh Binh?

How to go to the ancient temple in Hoa Lu In addition to the temple area of ​​King Dinh and King Le, Hoa Lu ancient capital is also famous for a number of communal houses and pagodas with hundreds of years old.

Nhat Tru Pagoda Dubbed the oldest stone scripture in Vietnam, Nhat Tru Pagoda, also known as One Pillar Pagoda, was built during the reign of King Le Dai Hanh. Up to now, it seems to still preserve the Buddhist Column with many values ​​in terms of art, culture and historical significance.

Bai Dinh Pagoda As the most famous spiritual destination in Ninh Binh, Bai Dinh Pagoda is by far one of the temples that hold the most “best” in Vietnam. If you have the opportunity to visit the temple at night, you will see a magnificent scene with bright yellow lights, and during the day, you will have the opportunity to visit an ancient temple complex more than 1000 years old, where ancient relics still exist. historical dynasties and temples.

In addition to the two famous pagodas, Nhat Tru Pagoda and Bai Dinh Pagoda, in the area of ​​​​the related relics, there are many other ancient temples such as Ban Long Pagoda, Kim Ngan Pagoda, Am Tien Cave Pagoda or Ba Pagoda. Corn, etc. has cultural value – Buddhism.

Unlike any other scenic spots, Hoa Lu ancient capital Ninh Binh  is not only a trip to visit, but they also bring useful and extensive knowledge about the ages of kings, who have built the country. That is also what I also want to remind everyone, travel is not only about contemplating beautiful scenes, special dishes but also looking back at the history, relics – culture of the country. home.