Location: Phong Coc Communal House is situated in the centre of Phong Coc Commune, Ha Nam Island, Yen Hung District, Quang Ninh Province.
Characteristics: It was built at the end of the 17th century to honour the village’s tutelary genie and four Lady Saints.
Phong Coc Communal House is built in the shape of the letter "dinh" (J). Its Front Ceremonial Hall has seven compartments and two lean-tos; meanwhile its Back Ceremonial Hall comprises five compartments and two lean-tos. Its Back Sanctuary also includes two compartments. The Communal House is 35m long and 15m wide. Its main pillars measure over 1 meter in perimeter. Eight lines of main pillars and two lines of supportive ones hold a 600-square meter ancient tiled roof. The barge-board curves in tune with the scimitar edges, shaping the elegant structure of the Communal House. On the two main ironwood doors are carved with dragons and phoenixes flying in cloud. The exquisite carvings, especially those depicting the activities in daily life in the roof beams reveal that this construction is a treasure of Vietnamese architecture.
The building is not only an attractive stop for thousands of domestic and foreign tourists, but it has also aided researchers in achieving a deeper insight of the architecture and culture of ancient Vietnamese villages.
