Vietnamese and UNESCO representatives at a ceremony to receive UNESCO’s certificate recognizing the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac complex of monuments and landscapes as a World Cultural Heritage site, Quang Ninh, December 20, 2025.

The event coincided with the 717th anniversary of the Nirvana of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, who abdicated the throne to become a monk and founded Truc Lam Zen Buddhism in the 13th century.

The complex represents a harmonious convergence of tangible and intangible heritage, blending majestic natural landscapes with Vietnam’s spiritual, religious, and cultural life.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the site’s outstanding universal value.

An aerial view of the Con Son relic site, which forms part of the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac complex of monuments and landscapes

The Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac complex comprises 12 sites located across forested mountains, lowlands, and river valleys in Quang Ninh and Bac Giang provinces and Hai Phong city.

Centered on the Yen Tu Mountain Range, the complex includes pagodas, temples, shrines, and archaeological remains associated with significant religious and historical figures.

Strategically situated in favorable geological settings, it remains a vibrant pilgrimage destination today.