Set amid the precipitous limestone karsts of the Tràng An - Trường Yên landscape, Hoa Lư is where Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, after quelling the Twelve Warlords in 968, ascended the throne as emperor and proclaimed the state of Đại Cồ Việt, inaugurating a long era of national independence and centralized rule. For forty-two years, from 968 until King Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital to Thăng Long in 1010, this limestone valley served as the political and spiritual heart of the country across the Đinh, Early Lê, and early Lý dynasties.
On the foundations of the former royal palaces, local residents erected temples dedicated to King Đinh Tiên Hoàng and King Lê Đại Hành at an early date and rebuilt them on a grand scale in the seventeenth century during the Restored Lê period. Together with the tombs of the two monarchs on Mount Mã Yên, the tenth-century stone sutra pillar at Nhất Trụ Pagoda, and dozens of shrines, palaces, caves, and pagodas across the Outer and Inner Citadels, Hoa Lư stands both as a special national heritage site and as a core zone of the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Tràng An Landscape Complex.
IHistorical timeline
- 968Đinh Bộ Lĩnh ascends the throne as Emperor and establishes the capital at Hoa LưAfter uniting the 12 warlord fiefdoms, Đinh Bộ Lĩnh ascended the throne as Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng, named the realm Đại Cồ Việt, adopted the reign title Thái Bình in 970, and built ramparts linking the limestone ranges at Hoa Lư as the imperial capital.
- 980 - 981Lê Hoàn ascends the throne and defeats the invading Song armyFacing invasion by the Northern Song dynasty, Commander-in-Chief Lê Hoàn was enthroned by Empress Dowager Dương Vân Nga and the court mandarins as Emperor Lê Đại Hành, founding the Early Lê dynasty and routing Song forces on the Bạch Đằng River and the northern frontier.
- 995Erection of the octagonal stone Buddhist sutra pillar at Nhất Trụ PagodaLê Đại Hành ordered the erection of an octagonal stone Buddhist sutra pillar in front of Nhất Trụ Pagoda, inscribed with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra and the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. The pillar was recognized as a National Treasure on December 25, 2015 under Decision 2382/QĐ-TTg.
- 1009 - 1010Lý Công Uẩn ascends the throne at Hoa Lư and relocates the capital to Thăng LongIn late 1009, Lý Công Uẩn ascended the throne at Hoa Lư, founding the Lý dynasty. In the autumn of the Canh Tuất year (1010), he issued the Edict on the Transfer of the Capital, moving the imperial seat from the mountains of Hoa Lư to Đại La citadel, renamed Thăng Long, making Hoa Lư the Ancient Capital.
- 17th centuryMajor reconstruction of the Temples of King Đinh and King Lê under the Restored LêOn the former palace foundations of Hoa Lư citadel, the two temples dedicated to Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Lê Đại Hành were rebuilt with refined seventeenth-century wood and stone carvings. The pair of green stone dragon beds at the Temple of King Đinh were recognized as National Treasures on December 25, 2017 under Decision 2089/QĐ-TTg.
- 1962 - 2014Special national heritage site, World Heritage Site, and national intangible heritageHoa Lư Ancient Capital was ranked as a national heritage site in 1962, elevated to a special national heritage site on May 10, 2012 under Decision 548/QĐ-TTg, and inscribed by UNESCO on June 23, 2014 as one of the three core zones of the Tràng An Landscape Complex World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. On December 19, 2014, the Trường Yên Festival (renamed the Hoa Lư Festival in 2016) was inscribed on the national list of intangible cultural heritage under Decision 4205/QĐ-BVHTTDL.
IIĐinh Tiên Hoàng, Lê Đại Hành, and the founding courtiers
The two central monuments of Hoa Lư Ancient Capital are the Temple of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng and the Temple of King Lê Đại Hành. At the Temple of King Đinh in Trường Yên Thượng village, the incense-burning hall (thiêu hương) honors the Four Pillars of the Đinh court, namely Đinh Điền, Nguyễn Bặc, Trịnh Tú, and Lưu Cơ, while the main sanctuary enshrines a bronze statue of Đinh Tiên Hoàng on a green stone pedestal alongside princes Đinh Liễn, Đinh Toàn, and Đinh Hạng Lang, as well as altars honoring the king's parents.
The Temple of King Lê in Trường Yên Hạ village stands about 300 to 500 meters north of the Temple of King Đinh. Its incense-burning hall venerates founding ministers of the Early Lê court such as Phạm Cự Lượng. In the main sanctuary, the statue of King Lê Đại Hành occupies the central bay, flanked on the right by Empress Dương Vân Nga (who served first as empress of the Đinh dynasty and later as empress of the Early Lê dynasty) and on the left by King Lê Ngọa Triều (Lê Long Đĩnh), along with the spirit tablet of Princess Lê Thị Phất Ngân (daughter of King Lê Đại Hành and Empress Dương Vân Nga, and empress of King Lý Thái Tổ).
Across the Inner and Outer Citadels stands a wider network of temples, shrines, and pagodas honoring tenth-century historical figures, including the Temple of Princess Phất Kim (youngest daughter of Đinh Tiên Hoàng, also called Phủ Bà Chúa or the Temple of Princess Thục Tiết in Yên Thành village), Vườn Thiên Shrine dedicated to Crown Prince Lê Long Thâu (Kình Thiên Đại Vương, eldest son of King Lê Đại Hành), the Temple of the deity Quý Minh, Nhất Trụ Pagoda, Kim Ngân Pagoda, and Bà Ngô Pagoda associated with Queen Mother Ngô Phu Nhân.
Dedicated to the founding emperor of Đại Cồ Việt along with his parents, princes, and the Four Pillars of the Đinh court.
Dedicated to the monarch who defeated the Song army, alongside Empress Dương Vân Nga, King Lê Long Đĩnh, Princess Lê Thị Phất Ngân, and General Phạm Cự Lượng.
Tenth-century Buddhist and royal worship spaces featuring the 995 stone sutra pillar, the Temple of Princess Phất Kim, and Vườn Thiên Shrine.
IIIThe Tràng An limestone ring and the Hoàng Long River
A stone capital resting on natural ramparts: The most distinctive feature of Hoa Lư is that its citadel was not built entirely of brick and earth on an open plain, but used dozens of sheer limestone peaks as natural walls, connected by 10 artificial ramparts of earth faced with brick and timber across the mountain gaps. The entire capital covers roughly 300 hectares divided into the Outer Citadel (about 140 hectares), the Inner Citadel (about 140 hectares), and the Southern Citadel, separated by limestone ridges yet linked by mountain passes and waterways.
The Hoàng Long and Sào Khê rivers as natural moats: Along the north and northwest of the capital winds the Hoàng Long River (associated in legend with the golden dragon that appeared on the river to welcome Đinh Bộ Lĩnh), while the Sào Khê River flows through the valley floor and the water caves of Tràng An. Water surrounds the outer ramparts and threads into the inner capital, creating water gathering (thủy tụ) and multi-layered defensive moats.
Mount Mã Yên shaped like a war saddle as the front screen (tiền án) before the Temple of King Đinh: Directly in front of the Temple of King Đinh rises Mount Mã Yên, with two elevated ends and a dip in the middle resembling a warhorse saddle. The Tomb of King Đinh sits near the windswept summit, while the Tomb of King Lê rests at the southern foot of the mountain, embraced on both sides by two ridges called Hoàn Ỷ sơn (Chair-Arm Mountain), expressing the successor monarch's reverence toward the founding emperor.
Two temples facing east within the mountain valley: Both the Temple of King Đinh and the Temple of King Lê sit on the west and face east in the "inner Công, outer Quốc" layout. The Temple of King Đinh takes Mount Mã Yên directly in front as its front screen (tiền án) and Mounts Đầm, Phi Vân, and Dù behind as its rear pillow. The Temple of King Lê lies about 300 meters to the north, facing Mount Đìa as its front screen (tiền án), backed by Mount Đầm, and oriented toward the Hoàng Long River. This is a miniature mountain-backed, water-facing configuration within a grander lie of the land, where the entire capital is a ring of mountains holding water and each temple is a sanctuary backed by stone peaks looking out toward its front screen.
IVTemples of King Đinh and King Lê, Mã Yên tombs, and Nhất Trụ Pagoda
The Temple of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng is laid out in the "inner Công, outer Quốc" plan on the site of the former main palace. From the crescent lake, visitors pass through the meridian gate, outer ceremonial gate, and inner ceremonial gate to reach the dragon courtyard and the three halls of the front hall (bái đường), incense-burning hall (thiêu hương), and main sanctuary (chính điện). Directly before the outer ceremonial gate and in the center of the dragon courtyard before the front hall stand a pair of stone dragon beds (Long sàng) carved from monolithic green stone in the seventeenth century and recognized as National Treasures in 2017. The dragon bed in the dragon courtyard measures 1.8 m by 1.4 m and is carved in high relief with a lively coiling dragon whose front claw is shaped like a graceful woman's hand, flanked by two monolithic green stone nghê guardians.
The Temple of King Lê Đại Hành is slightly smaller in scale but preserves its seventeenth-century ironwood (gỗ lim) framework adorned with carvings of dragons, phoenixes, celestial maidens, and foliage typical of Restored Lê folk sculpture. In front of the temple lie a wide plaza and a waterway linked to the ancient river channel.
Mount Mã Yên rises about 200 meters opposite the Temple of King Đinh. Climbing 265 stone steps winding up the slope brings visitors to the stone-built Tomb of King Đinh near the crest. According to the stele inscription at the site, the tomb was constructed on the 2nd day of the 5th lunar month in the 21st year of Minh Mệnh (1840) and restored on the 24th day of the 9th lunar month in the 1st year of Hàm Nghi (1885). At the southern foot of the mountain lies the stone Tomb of King Lê, built during the same 1840 project beneath quiet forest shade.
Nhất Trụ Pagoda stands about 200 meters from the Temple of King Lê. In its front courtyard stands the intact stone Buddhist sutra pillar erected in 995 under King Lê Đại Hành and recognized as a National Treasure in 2015. Rising more than 4 meters high, the pillar consists of six green stone components assembled entirely with circular mortise-and-tenon joints without any mortar or adhesive, its octagonal shaft inscribed in Chinese characters with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra and the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.
Beneath the grounds around the Temple of King Lê and across the fields of Trường Yên, archaeological excavations have uncovered tenth-century palace foundations paved with square bricks stamped with the characters "Đại Việt quốc quân thành chuyên" (Brick for the military citadel of the state of Đại Việt), along with phoenix tiles, bodhi-leaf ornaments, and terracotta dragon heads from the Đinh and Early Lê periods.
VHoa Lư festival in the third lunar month
The Hoa Lư Festival (formerly called the Trường Yên Festival) takes place annually from the 8th to the 10th day of the third lunar month, celebrated in the folk verse "Wherever one trades or travels, remember to return on the ninth day of the third month".
The ceremonial part preserves solemn traditional rites, including the temple-opening ceremony, the water procession from the Hoàng Long River to the Temple of King Đinh by dragon boats and eight-bearer palanquins, the bathing of the statues (mộc dục), food offerings, the grand sacrifice, and the fire procession from the Temple of King Đinh across the ancient capital.
The festive part is best known for the "Reed Flag Military Drill" (Cờ lau tập trận) performed by hundreds of children on the festival grounds to reenact Đinh Bộ Lĩnh's boyhood drills herding water buffalo with reed blossoms as flags, alongside the formation of the characters "Thái Bình" (the reign title of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng), boat races, wrestling, and chèo opera performances.
VIWhere historical sources differ
On the true burial spot of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng on Mount Mã Yên: According to folk tradition and Nguyễn-dynasty stele inscriptions (recording the construction of the tomb in 1840 under Emperor Minh Mệnh and its restoration in 1885 under Emperor Hàm Nghi), the remains of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng were interred at the crest of Mount Mã Yên. However, several classical chronicles and modern historians note that medieval royal burials often established decoy mounds (nghi trủng) or symbolic tombs on high rocky peaks to keep the true burial chamber strictly secret within the mountains of Trường Yên.
On the designations of the Inner and Outer Citadels: Although the names Eastern Citadel (Outer Citadel) and Western Citadel (Inner Citadel) appear in classical gazetteers such as the Unified Gazetteer of Đại Nam (Đại Nam nhất thống chí), modern archaeologists drawing on concentrations of excavated palace artifacts hold differing views on which valley sector housed the central Imperial Citadel under the Đinh and Early Lê dynasties.
VIILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Thôn Trường Yên, xã Trường Yên cũ, nay là phường Tây Hoa Lư, tỉnh Ninh Bình
- Getting there
- From the center of former Hoa Lư city (former Ninh Bình city), follow Tràng An Boulevard west for about 11 km to reach Hoa Lư Ancient Capital in Tây Hoa Lư ward (former Trường Yên commune). From Hanoi, take the Pháp Vân - Cầu Giẽ - Cao Bồ expressway and exit at Mai Sơn interchange or follow National Highway 1A for about 95 km.
- Coordinates
- 20.2845, 105.9052
The Temple of King Đinh and the Temple of King Lê stand very close to each other (only about 300 meters apart along a tree-shaded walkway), allowing visitors to stroll easily between the two temples and continue another 200 meters to Nhất Trụ Pagoda. Those planning to climb Mount Mã Yên to visit the Tomb of King Đinh (265 steep stone steps) should go in the early morning or late afternoon and carry drinking water. Modest, respectful attire is required inside the inner sanctuaries of both temples and the pagoda compound. A visit to Hoa Lư Ancient Capital pairs naturally with boat excursions through the Tràng An ecological complex, Tam Cốc - Bích Động, Bái Đính Pagoda, and Tuyệt Tịnh Cốc (Am Tiên Cave).
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?Quick Questions
Which dynasties had their capital at Hoa Lư?
Hoa Lư served as the imperial capital of the state of Đại Cồ Việt for 42 years (968 - 1010) across three consecutive dynasties, namely the Đinh dynasty (968 - 980), the Early Lê dynasty (980 - 1009), and the opening year of the Lý dynasty (1009 - 1010) before King Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital to Thăng Long.
Which National Treasures are preserved at Hoa Lư Ancient Capital?
The complex preserves two designated National Treasures, namely the stone Buddhist sutra pillar at Nhất Trụ Pagoda (erected in 995 under King Lê Đại Hành, recognized in 2015) and the pair of green stone dragon beds (Long sàng) placed before the outer ceremonial gate and the front hall of the Temple of King Đinh Tiên Hoàng (carved in the seventeenth century during the Restored Lê period, recognized in 2017).
Where are the Tomb of King Đinh and the Tomb of King Lê located?
Both royal tombs are located on Mount Mã Yên directly opposite the Temple of King Đinh. The Tomb of King Đinh sits near the summit of Mount Mã Yên (reached by 265 stone steps), while the Tomb of King Lê lies at the southern foot of the mountain.
When does the Hoa Lư Festival take place?
The Hoa Lư Festival (formerly the Trường Yên Festival) takes place annually from the 8th to the 10th day of the third lunar month. Inscribed on the national list of intangible cultural heritage on December 19, 2014, it is famous for its water procession from the Hoàng Long River and the Reed Flag Military Drill reenactment.