Temple of Literature

Văn Miếu / 文庙

The Temple was founded in 1070 and became the country's first university six years later. The overall design is somewhat similar to the "original" Confucian Temple in Qufu, with 5 courtyards. Most of the architecture is named with titles indicating reverence to literature and language. The showpiece of the complex is the third courtyard with eighty-odd stone tablets, each mounted on the back of a tortoise (known as bixi in Chinese), inscribed with the names of graduates. Another courtyard is full of gift shops, which also sell stamps, coins, and books. A reduced-size replica of the famous giant softshell turtle (the original being at the Ngoc Son Temple at the Lake of the Returned Sword) can be seen in one of the pavilions as well; it was made by Vietnamese artisans out of ceramic, and gold-plated. The fourth courtyard contains a temple and statues devoted to Confucius and his four disciples. Chinese history buffs should look out for the 萬世師表 plaque, which was presented to the temple by Emperor Kangxi of China in 1693. The fifth and last courtyard, which was destroyed by the French in 1946 and rebuilt in 2000, contains a mini-museum showcasing information on Emperor Lý Thánh Tông and his successors who built and renovated the temple. You may find a Vietnamese band playing local instrumental music in front of this museum. There are explanatory wall-hangings in English and French all along the way, and you don't need a guide.

• history
• outdoors
• museum

Address

Quốc Tử Giám St

Getting there

a few blocks south of the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum

Hours

Daily 08:00-18:00

Price

Adult 30,000 dong; student, senior or disabled person 15,000 dong; child under 15 free

Website

vanmieu.gov.vn (opens in a new tab)