Experience on exploring the Temple of Literature in Hanoi!
Temple of Literature Hanoi, or Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam, is a particularly important historical and cultural relic site in the capital of Hanoi. It is also a symbol of Vietnamese culture and intelligence. Hanoi Temple of Literature is known as the first university in Southeast Asia.
In recent years, the Temple of Literature has always been an attractive destination for tourists when they have the opportunity to visit Hanoi because of the unique architectural and historical value it brings.
Let’s check out the following article from Hanoi Explore Travel to learn about the Temple of Literature and gain useful experiences before coming to this attraction!
For more fascinating in Hanoi, check:
Overviews of the Temple of Literature Hanoi
The Temple of Literature, a complex on the list of special National Monuments of Vietnam is also the pride of the Vietnamese people. With a long cultural and historical background, the relic site has become an attractive destination on the trips to explore Hanoi.
Where is the Temple of Literature located?
The Temple of Literature is located in the Dong Da district of Hanoi, near 4 main streets: Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ton Duc Thang, Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam. The entrance gate to the Temple of Literature is at no.58 Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da, Hanoi. When traveling to a-thousand-year-of-civilization Hanoi, this is definitely the place you should visit.
- Address: Open on Google Map
History of the Temple of Literature
Situated south of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, The Temple of Literature was established as a temple dedicated to Confucius by King Ly Thanh Tong in 1070, nearly 1000 years ago. In 1076, his son founded the Imperial Academy as a royal school only for members of the upper class such as princes, nobles, and officials.
The Imperial Academy, considered as the first university in Vietnam, opened for about 700 years and trained hundreds of eminent scholars and mandarins. The Temple of Literature has managed to preserve its valuable architectural and cultural features in spite of many conflicts and natural calamities.
Opening hours and entrance ticket prices
The Temple of Literature is open to visitors on all days of the week, including weekends and holidays.
- Hot weather (from April 15 to October 15): from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Cold weather (from October 16 – April 14): from 8am – 5pm.
- The Temple of Literature is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a special experience program.
- You can visit the Temple of Literature at any time of the year. However, the best time is still summer or fall when the weather is mild and pleasant.
- Entrance ticket price to the Temple of Literature is 30,000 VND/person, free tickets or 50% discount for some special subjects.
How to get to the Temple of Literature
The complex is located next to four main streets: Ton Duc Thang, Van Mieu, Quoc Tu Giam and Nguyen Thai Hoc. To get there, visitors can choose one of the following means of transport:
By Bus
In Hanoi, there are many bus routes with stops near the Temple of Literature. Depending on where you are staying, you can catch one of the buses below:
- No. 02 (Bac Co – Yen Nghia Bus Station)
- No. 23 (Nguyen Cong Tru – Nguyen Cong Tru)
- Bus No. 32 (Giap Bat – Nhon Bus Station)
- No. 38 (Nam Thang Long – Mai Dong)
- No. 41 (Nghi Tam – Giap Bat Bus Station)
By hop-on hop-off bus or with bicycle tour
In Hanoi, hop-on-hop-off buses are a relatively new kind of transportation that may be used for visits to the Temple of Literature and many other sites in the city. For a more engaging experience, you can also select inner-city bicycle tours offered by travel companies.
By motorbike or car
The Temple of Literature is easily accessible by private automobile. However, visitors also need to pay attention to traffic signs, because the roads around the Temple of Literature are all one-way roads.
The path is as follows: Beginning at Hoan Kiem Lake, proceed along Le Thai To Street until making a right onto Trang Thi. Go straight on Trang Thi street to Dien Bien Phu street and turn left to enter Tran Phu. From Tran Phu street, continue to turn left to Chu Van An street, then turn right onto Nguyen Thai Hoc street to reach the Temple of Literature.
What makes Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam appealing?
Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam covers an area of roughly 54,331 square meters and includes many diverse works such as Van Lake, Temple of Literature, Imperial Academy, Giam park, and Khue Van Pavilion. The campus’s exterior is adorned with layers of time-colored bricks, forming a striking architectural image.
The architecture of Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam reflects the royal court features of the Nguyen Dynasty, with a symmetrical structure along the North – South axis, creating an elegant and sophisticated appearance. Outstanding works in this relic complex include:
Van Lake and Giam Garden
Van Lake, also known as Giam Lake or Minh Duong Lake, is located right in front of the main gate of the Temple of Literature relic site. The lake is large and in the middle of the lake is Kim Chau mound with a small shrine where students and intellectuals used to come to meet and exchange knowledge about literature and poetry.
Giam Garden, which is situated on the western wall of the Temple of Literature, has numerous miniatures as well as an octagonal house, a lake, and ornamental plants. This is the perfect spot to explore, relax and plan engaging cultural events.
Van Mieu Gate
Van Mieu Gate is the three-entrance gate outside the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam relic. The overall three-entrance gate has 3 doors with 2 stories, the upper one has 3 words “Van Mieu Gate” in ancient Chinese characters. In front of the Temple of Literature are two “Ha Ma” (Horse Dismounting) steles on both sides of four pillars.
Legend has it that when passing through the Temple of Literature, regardless of your social ranking, you must dismount your horse, lower your hammock and walk, at least from one Ha Ma stele to the other. This demonstrates that the Temple of Literature is a solemn work and has great significance for feudal dynasties.
Dai Trung Mon – The Great Middle Gate
Dai Trung Mon is the second gate of the Temple of Literature, after passing Van Mieu Gate. The Great Middle Gate consists of 3 compartments, built on a high brick foundation and features a red shoe-shaped tiled roof in the style of an ancient communal house roof.
A large area with lakes, trees, and long parallel roads may be found in front and behind Dai Trung Mon. All create a solemn Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam but no less peaceful and elegant.
Khue Van Cac (Khue Van Pavilion) – A unique artistic structure
Khue Van Pavilion is a project built by Governor Nguyen Van Thanh in 1805, during the Nguyen Dynasty. This is a 2-floor structure, nearly 9 meters high and includes 4 square brick pillars supporting the upper attic. The structure is located on a square ground, each side length is about 6.8 meters.
Khue Van Cac impresses visitors with its extremely unique ancient-style architecture. Four square brick pillars on the lower level, adorned with elaborate carvings, support the upper floor. The upper story features an ornate red-painted architecture with two overlapping levels of red tile roofs, creating a unique eight-roof construction. The round windows on the attic wall, which resemble the sun or a blazing star, make a highlight for this structure.
Thien Quang Well (Well of Heavenly Clarity) & Garden of the Doctors’ Stelae
These are two works that tourists cannot miss when visiting the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam. Thien Quang Well has a square shape, symbolizing the ground, and is located right behind Khue Van Cac. TheWell and Khue Van Cac represent the essence of heaven and earth gathered in the ancient cultural and educational center of Thang Long Imperial Capital.
Next to Thien Quang Well are two rows of large stone stele – Doctors’ stele. Each stele is a sculpture, both artistic and spiritually meaningful. There are 82 Doctor’s steles placed on the backs of 82 stone turtles with each stone stele containing information of 82 valedictorians in examinations through each feudal dynasty in Vietnam.
Dai Thanh Mon (Gate of Great Success) and Dai Bai Duong (House of Ceremony)
Located in the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam relic complex, Dai Thanh Mon also has a similar structure to Dai Trung Mon. Passing Dai Thanh Mon, visitors will come to a large courtyard paved with Bat Trang stone, leading to the Dai Bai Duong area – the central area of Quoc Tu Giam.
Dai Bai Duong has a total of 9 rooms, 2 gable walls on both sides, the front and back are blank. In Dai Bai Duong, there is only an incense burner in the middle, the remaining rooms are all empty. This shrine area was used as a place for ceremonies during spring and autumn sacrifices in the past.
Khai Thanh Temple
Khai Thanh Temple is a building located at the last courtyard of the complex. The temple is a place to worship Confucius’s parents, Thuc Luong Ngot and Nhan Thi. Previously, this place used to be a residential area or Thai Hoc area with 150 rooms for students.
By 1946, the structure was completely destroyed after a cannon bombardment by the French colonialists. After that, Khai Thanh Temple was rebuilt and preserved until today.
>>> Let’s explore the Temple of Literature by joining our Hanoi city tour
Explore fascinating night tours to the Temple of Literature
When taking the Temple of Literature night tour, visitors may expect unique experiences that cannot be found in the day tour. The lighting system and 3D mapping technologies completely change the relic space, giving it an entirely new, sparkling, magical, and emotive appearance.
The experience program of visiting the Temple of Literature at night is officially open from 7 p.m to 10 p.m. Ticket price is 199,000 VND/person with free admission for children under 1 meter tall.
As soon as entering the main gate, visitors can admire a shimmering, magical space through light show techniques combined with animation, creating a 3D effect on flat surfaces.
Visitors interact manually with touchless sensors, moving from left to right or vice versa, to explore the content of books at the relic. Instead of using theatricalization, Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam Night experience tour differs in how lighting and technology are used.
Fascinating experiences that you should not miss
The Temple of Literature has fascinating historical significance in addition to its rich traditional cultural heritage. With a ton of enjoyable things to do, this location has grown to be quite appealing:
- Take part in a poetry festival held on the 15th of lunar January
- Ask for lucky letters at the Temple of Literature
- Pray for a high result in examination
- Explore and learn about architecture, history, and artifacts displayed at the Temple of Literature
- Take photos in ao dai, bachelor’s gown or traditional costumes
- Take check-in pictures with ancient virtual living corners.
The Temple of Literature is also a place to honor excellent students. On Tet, many traditional and folk activities also take place here, aiding in the preservation of traditional culture.
Tourist attractions near the Temple of Literature
Situated in the heart of the capital, you can visit numerous other well-known sites close to the Temple of Literature after visiting this site. Here are some recommendations for locations close to the Temple of Literature:
- Hanoi flag tower is 1.1 kilometers away
- Thang Long Imperial Citadel is 1.2 kilometers away
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is 1.6 kilometers away
- Ho Chi Minh Museum is 1.7 kilometers away
- Hoa Lo Prison Relics is 1.9 kilometers away
Notes when visiting the Temple of Literature Hanoi
- Dress neatly and conservatively, do not wear too-short skirts. Do not smoke or wear hats in the temple,…
- Preserve cleanliness and environmental landscape, avoid making noise.
- Do not damage antiques or paint graffiti on stone stele, turtle head, and other exhibits.
- You should combine visiting the Temple of Literature with nearby tourist attractions such as Hoa Lo Prison, Hanoi Flag Tower, One-Pillar Pagoda, Quan Su Pagoda…
For individuals who are interested in learning about Vietnamese historical and cultural values, Temple of Literature in Hanoi is a should-not-miss destination. Furthermore, this will be an intriguing experience as you go to and discover the beautiful capital. Hopefully the information that Hanoi Explore Travel has just shared will help you gain more understanding and knowledge about this meaningful site.
