Confucian temple · Hanoi, Vietnam
Temple of Literature
Hanoi's temple to Confucius and the site of Vietnam's first university: five walled courtyards, the pavilion that is the city's symbol and 82 stone stelae on turtles.
Tickets and toursThe Temple of Literature (Vietnamese: Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám) was built in 1070 under King Ly Thanh Tong as a temple to Confucius and the ancient sages. Six years later, in 1076, the Imperial Academy opened beside it: Vietnam's first university, which trained the country's scholars for centuries.
Today the Temple of Literature is a walled complex of gates, gardens and halls in central Hanoi, laid out along one straight path from the street to the rebuilt academy at the back. It is a Special National Relic, and its 82 Doctors' stelae are on UNESCO's Memory of the World register.
- Location
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Founded
- 1070, under King Ly Thanh Tong
- First university
- Imperial Academy, opened in 1076
- Doctors' stelae
- 82 stelae naming 1,307 doctors
- UNESCO register
- Stelae on Memory of the World, 2011
- Area
- Over 54,000 m², with Van Lake
- Symbol of Hanoi
- Constellation of Literature Pavilion, since 2012
- On the money
- On the 100,000 dong note
Inside Hanoi's Temple of Literature
Van Mieu Gate
The walk starts on Quoc Tu Giam Street and runs straight north through a row of gates and garden courtyards, each one a step closer to the sanctuary.
Constellation of Literature Pavilion
Built in 1805 on four white stone pillars, with round windows facing the four directions. It is the official symbol of Hanoi.
Well and Doctors' stelae
The square Well of Heavenly Clarity is flanked by 82 stelae on stone turtles, naming the doctors of the royal exams held from 1442 to 1779.
Dai Thanh Hall
Behind Dai Thanh Gate is the Great Sacrifice court and its hall, the temple itself, where Confucius and the ancient sages are worshipped.
Thai Hoc House
The fifth courtyard, where the academy stood, was rebuilt around 2000: a two-storey hall with a drum tower and a bell tower on either side.
By night
On Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evenings a separate programme lights the courtyards and projects a 3D-mapping show onto the old buildings.
Hanoi Temple of Literature tickets
Tickets are sold at the counter at the entrance on the day. Children under 16 enter free.
Entry ticket
70,000 VND
- All five courtyards and the exhibitions
- Bought at the counter at the entrance
Guided tour with entry
165,000 VND
- Entry ticket included
- English-speaking guide, about 1 hour
- Starts at 09:00 or 14:30 at the temple
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Location and opening hours
The Temple of Literature is in Dong Da district, about 2-3 km west of Hoan Kiem Lake. The entrance is on Quoc Tu Giam Street, across from Van Lake.
- Address
- 58 Quốc Tử Giám, Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Operating hours
- Daily: 08:00 – 17:00
- Evening programme on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 18:00-22:00, on a separate ticket.
Before you go
- Is the Temple of Literature in Hanoi worth visiting?
- Yes, if you want one place in Hanoi that explains its past as a city of scholars: nearly a thousand years of exams, doctors and Confucian learning, in shaded courtyards a short ride from the Old Quarter.
- How long does a visit take?
- Allow 1-2 hours to walk all five courtyards and look at the stelae. The guided tour takes about 1 hour.
- Is there a dress code?
- Dress respectfully, as for a temple: no sleeveless tops, very short shorts or skirts, or revealing clothes. Keep your voice down in the shrines.
- Is the Temple of Literature a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
- No. The site itself is not on the World Heritage list. Its 82 Doctors' stelae were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2011, and Vietnam made them National Treasures in 2015.
- Can I touch the stone turtles?
- No. Students used to rub the turtles' heads for luck before exams, but the stelae are now fenced off and touching them is forbidden to protect them.
- Is a guide worth it?
- Much of the visit is symbolism: what the gates, the well and the stelae meant to the scholars who walked here. A guide tells those stories. The guided tour includes the entry ticket, so it costs about 95,000 VND more than going alone. Book the guided tour