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Short history
The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu in Vietnamese, “pagode des Corbeaux” to the French) was founded in 1070, when Hanoi was the capital Thang Long, and dedicated to Confucius. Six years later the Imperial Academy, Quoc Tu Giam, opened inside it as a school for the sons of nobility. It remained the centre of higher education in Vietnam until 1779. The doctoral exams were so hard that, in the whole of the Academy’s history, only 2,313 candidates earned the doctor’s degree.
Hanoi’s is the biggest and most visited of several Van Mieu in the country, with others in Hue and elsewhere.
The five courtyards
A twin-tiered gate opens onto three paths. The central one was for the king alone, administrators used the left and the military the right, and students had to use side gates. Walk it in order:
- Courtyards one and two are lawns and old trees, and quiet.
- Courtyard three is entered through the Khue Van Cac, the “Constellation of Literature” pavilion, built in the early nineteenth century. In the middle is the Well of Heavenly Clarity, and on either side are long halls with the stone tortoises carrying the doctors’ stelae.
- Courtyard four has statues of Confucian scholars, a small museum and a gift shop, in low halls with red lacquered pillars and carved teak.
- Courtyard five was the university’s own site. It was destroyed by French bombing in 1947 and has been rebuilt.
It is a good place for photographers, especially in the early morning with few tour groups.
Visiting in 2026
Entry is about 70,000 dong for adults (Trip.com, September 2026), open daily from roughly 7:30 or 8:00 to 17:00, with longer summer hours. Check the ticket window for exact times. The temple is a 10 to 15 minute taxi ride from the Old Quarter, and fits well with the Old Quarter walk and Hanoi’s lakes. For the rest of the city, see the Hanoi guide.