Xa Loi Pagoda, Saigon/HoChiMinh City

The Xa Loi Pagoda is the largest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. The headquarters of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association was located here until 1983 and it later served as its second main office until 1993.

The Xa Loi Pagoda was designed by architects Tran Van Duong and Do Bá Vinh to enshrine the relics of Gautama Buddha. Construction began in the year 1954 and it was consecrated in 1958. It became the scene of raids and vandalism by armed forces loyal to the Roman Catholic president of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, in 1973. In the face of protests by the Buddhist majority community, seeking civil rights, the pagoda became the center of Buddhist resistance. It was damaged; several monks and nuns were either killed or imprisoned, and the 80-year-old Buddhist patriarch arrested and placed in a military hospital.

Visitors are greeted by a Chinese style statue of Quan Am, the Goddess of Mercy. The main hall inside is dominated by a bronze sculpture of Gautama Buddha crafted by artists from Bien Hoa, located north of Saigon. The walls are decorated with a series of panels made by Dr. Nguyen Van Long of the Gia Dinh Art School. The complex boasts the highest bell tower in Vietnam. It stands 32 meters high and weighs two tons. The pagoda is located amidst beautifully landscaped gardens complete with a koi pond and bonsai trees.