UI VALLEY OVERVIEW
“Ui Valley – Touching a Thousand Years” guides visitors on a journey back through time, from the footsteps of prehistoric humans tens of thousands of years ago, through the cultural landscapes of the ancient Muong and early Viet, to the moment of the first nation-building of Dai Co Viet. More than just a destination, it is a place where history and origins converge within a single, immersive space.
Ui Valley is located at the western gateway of the ancient capital Hoa Lu, situated at the highest point of Moc Hoan Valley, in Tay Hoa Lu ward, Ninh Binh province. According to Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư (The Complete Annals of Dai Viet), after unifying the country in 968 following a thousand years of Chinese rule, Dinh Bo Linh established the Đàn Kính Thiên (Heaven Worshipping Altar) in the west of Hoa Lu capital. There, he declared himself Đại Thắng Minh Hoàng Đế (Dai Thang Minh Emperor), named the country Dai Co Viet, adopted the era name Thai Binh, and became the first emperor of Vietnam’s centralized feudal monarchy.
With its pristine beauty, serene atmosphere, and crystal-clear lake nestled beneath rocky cliffs, Ui Valley preserves and revives the heritage of the ancient Hoa Lu royal court, reenacting the lives of the Vietnamese people in the 10th century.
Sacred Worship Sites at Ui Valley
The entire Ui Valley complex, especially the Heaven Worshipping Altar, is designed based on the ancient Eastern philosophy of the Three Realms: Heaven – Earth – Human. Visitors will follow a sacred journey through a sequence of grand and monumental spiritual structures, each embodying profound cultural values, including Earth Worshipping Hall, Human Worshipping Hall, Heaven Worshipping Hall, and Heaven Worshipping Altar.