Linh Phuoc Pagoda sits along National Highway 20 in Xuan Truong Ward, Da Lat. Built between 1949 and 1952 and restored many times, the complex now covers more than 6,600 square meters. It includes the main hall, the Avalokitesvara Hall, the Linh Tower, an antiquities display area, the Hoa Long Vien garden, and a walkthrough model of the 18 levels of hell.

It is also known as the “bottle pagoda” because of its distinctive design: walls, roofs, balustrades, and sinuous dragon columns are decorated with millions of fragments of porcelain, crockery, and glass bottles that create a dazzling exterior.

For decades, Linh Phuoc has hosted major Buddhist and community activities, drawing the attention of locals and travelers. Every part of the complex - from the triple-arch gate and perimeter walls to the roof tiles and winding dragon columns - is inlaid with countless shards of pottery, broken bowls, and multicolored glass.

Dominating the grounds is the 37-meter Linh Tower with seven stories, once recognized as Vietnam’s tallest bell tower. Its façade is likewise clad in mosaic porcelain.

Phan Thi Phuong, 36, a visitor from Hanoi, said that although she has traveled widely, she had never seen a pagoda built on such a large scale with broken ceramics. “Each step feels like entering a vibrant world of art and meaning,” she shared.

Inside the tower hangs a great bronze bell weighing 8.5 tons, identified as the largest great bell in Vietnam. Crafted by artisans from Hue in 1999, it is a centerpiece of the tower.

Visitors often write their names and those of loved ones on slips of paper and paste them on the great bell to pray for peace and good fortune. After affixing the paper, people customarily strike the bell three times to offer their prayers.

Beside the Linh Tu Tower stands the hall dedicated to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Quan The Am). The three-story sanctuary is also decorated with ceramic mosaics. At its center is a reinforced-concrete statue of the Bodhisattva.

Around each level are 108 smaller statues of Avalokitesvara. With a total of 324 figures, this sanctuary is regarded as the place with the most Avalokitesvara statues in Vietnam.

The pagoda’s singular architecture has earned it more than 10 Vietnam records, one Asian record, and one world record.

Among them, the Avalokitesvara statue made from everlasting flowers (helichrysum) was certified a world record in 2017. Standing 17 meters tall and weighing 3 tons, it was composed of 650,000 blossoms. Thirty artisans and 600 devotees worked tirelessly for days to complete it.

A log of trâm wood carved with the Dhammapada has been recognized by the Vietnam Records Organization as the largest Dhammapada carving in the country.

The temple’s ceramic and porcelain motifs are executed with painstaking detail and precision.

Historical accounts note that to achieve the pagoda’s distinctive style, the abbot invited renowned artisans from Hue to lead the work. Construction and embellishment spanned many years.

Beyond its unique architecture, visitors to the “bottle pagoda” can view a lifelike wax statue and explore a 300-meter depiction of the 18 levels of hell. Pictured is a woman from Ho Chi Minh City visiting the multi-level tower with her family.

Every shard and glass fragment has been carefully ground and fitted to form intricate patterns - flower petals, foliage, and gracefully coiling dragons.

With its singular design, Linh Phuoc attracts both domestic and international visitors for sightseeing and pilgrimage.

“Linh Phuoc Pagoda is not only beautiful but also very sacred. Many in my village come here to pray for health and peace for their families. The atmosphere brings a sense of calm and stillness,” said Nguyen Thi Binh, a Da Lat resident.

Xuan Ngoc