Co Le Pagoda in Vietnam’s Ninh Binh province is known for its unusual architecture. It also preserves the story of 35 Buddhist monastics who left religious life to fight for their country.

For more than seven centuries, Kiep Bac Temple has drawn Vietnamese to the banks of the Luc Dau River to honor Tran Hung Dao, the revered general who helped defend Dai Viet in the 13th century.

Mo Temple in Hai Phong preserves centuries of northern Vietnamese history and belief, from the story of a Tran Dynasty princess to ancient trees and a 400-year-old gilded palanquin.

Stone elephants, horses and dogs stand guard beside a 350-year-old terracotta tower at An Xa Temple, preserving traces of a rare Taoist spiritual world in northern Vietnam.

Across a small bridge in northern Vietnam, Nom Pagoda emerges beneath old trees, a place where ancient clay statues, Buddhist legends and the rhythms of an old village market blur the line between the sacred and everyday life.

Perched on Pu Den Mountain in central Vietnam, Choong Temple preserves a 600-year-old legend of Nang Phom Hom, the “fragrant-haired maiden” revered by the local Thai community.

Amid pine forests and mountain streams, Con Son brings together Truc Lam Buddhism, centuries-old legends and the enduring presence of national hero Nguyen Trai.

What began with a mysterious natural stone in rural Nghe An has grown into a place of worship, surrounded by a haunting folk legend passed down through generations.

Hidden among the green hills of Hue, Tu Hieu Pagoda has stood for more than 180 years, preserving its historic architecture and a remarkable legacy: the only surviving cemetery for royal eunuchs in Vietnam.

More than 30 meters tall and around 700 years old, a giant banyan has become a living monument beside Nghe An’s historic Van Temple.

More than six decades after Thich Quang Duc’s historic self-immolation, the Austin that carried him to the site remains preserved at Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue.

Beside a lotus-filled lake in Nghe An stands a temple more than 500 years old, preserving centuries of architecture, worship and history in a landscape once celebrated for its beauty.

In folk belief across Vietnam's southwestern region, five-toed pigs are associated with bad luck. When farmers discover a pig with this unusual trait, they often bring the animal to a Buddhist temple.

Built during the Le Dynasty, Bach Ma Temple in Nghe An is one of the province's most sacred spiritual sites, preserving more than 100 imperial royal decrees alongside remarkable examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture.

Reconstruction has begun at Vietnam's 800-year-old Pho Quang Pagoda, where workers are rebuilding its main hall while preserving priceless relics damaged in a 2024 fire.

Amid the vast waters of Truong Sa, Phan Vinh Pagoda carries the name of a fallen naval captain, bringing together Buddhism, remembrance and maritime life.

Across Truong Sa (Spratlys) Archipelago, traditional Vietnamese pagodas rise above the sea as places of serenity and "spiritual markers" contributing to the affirmation of national sovereignty.

Far from the mainland, the sound of temple bells carries across the sea, offering peace, hope and a sense of home on Vietnam's frontier islands.

Beyond its architecture, a 400-year-old temple in Nghe An is home to rare relics that reveal centuries of Vietnamese history.