Located on Ngoc Island in the heart of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple relic complex not only possesses unique architecture but also is a famous cultural and spiritual symbol of Hanoi.
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General information
Ngoc Son Temple is located on Ngoc Island right in the heart of Hoan Kiem lake. The temple was built in the 19th century. In the past, this was originally a temple to worship Quan De to suppress evil. Later this place was changed into a Buddhist temple; Finally, it was remodeled into the present-day temple.
Ngoc Son Temple and Pen Tower in the 19th century
The architecture of Ngoc Son Temple shows quite clearly the harmony in religion over the thousand years of culture. It is an example of stunning space and architecture. Built in the shape of Tam (三) shape, Ngoc Son Temple is a place to worship the god Van Xuong De Quan (the god of literature and examination) and worship Tran Hung Dao.
The Huc bridge in the 19th century
In addition, this place also worships Amitabha Buddha, La Dong Tan, and Quan Van Truong. Thereby expressing very clearly the concept of “three religions of the same origin” of the Vietnamese people with the meaning of religious unity and harmony. The harmony of these religions is not only evident in worship but also in architecture, construction, and the system of couplets, panels, and decorations at Ngoc Son Temple.
How to get to Ngoc Son Temple?
Because it is located in the central area of Hanoi, moving here is relatively easy. With buses, you can choose from the following bus routes: buses 08, 09, 14, 31, and 36.
With motorbikes, you have a lot of options to move around; depending on where you are currently. You just need to remember the main streets of the city and then go to come. Currently, navigation applications such as Google Maps have become more and more popular so that you can travel more conveniently. Or if you want to make it simpler, you can choose a taxi that is active without worrying about not knowing the way.
At the end of the week, Hanoi city has the policy to open a pedestrian street in the area around Ngoc Son Temple; and prohibits all means. So if you want to visit the temple on the weekends, you should pay attention to the travel.
What is special about Ngoc Son Temple?
Right outside the gate of Ngoc Son Temple, you will be impressed with the image of But Tower. The tower was built on Ngoc Boi mountain; formerly known as Doc Ton mountain; in 1865, according to the idea of the scholar Nguyen Van Sieu. On the Pen Tower engraved with 3 words “Ta Thanh Thien” – means “Write on the blue sky”
After purchasing tickets, you will have to cross The Huc Bridge to enter the temple. The bridge is red in color, the legs are made up of large pillars. The name of the bridge is The Húc which means “A place to receive sunlight in the early morning” or “Condensation of aura”.
The Huc Bridge
In front of the bridge which is connected to the temple, there are Three-Passage Gate (Tam Quan) replete with Taoist symbolism. The first gate is easy to look for with a high stone structure beside – the Pen Tower. It has a series of parallel sentences and two large red Han characters.
The next gate has 2 symbols: tiger and dragon. It shows the spirit of studiousness and respect for the Literal examination of the ancient feudal society.
When the traveler goes through the 3rd gate, a few people can recognize a small special thing which is the ink pad. It is a green stone ink pad carved according to peach half shape, cut lengthwise, and concave surface. The scroll is surrounded by bats symbolizing happiness (the word for ‘bat’ in Chinese is Phuc which means happiness in Vietnamese).
Going inside, you will be able to visit the two main temples here. 2 temples 2 gods; is Van Xuong De Quan and the saint Tran Hung Dao. The two temples feature the architectural style of the temples in the North. In the 2 temples are 2 large statues. The statue of Duc Thanh Tran is placed in the back hall with a stone pedestal higher than 1 meter, and the statue of Van Xuong holds a quill pen with a relaxed and elegant look.
Next to the temple area of the two gods, a special place that visitors also have to admire is the area where the glass case holds the specimen of the Sword Lake turtle. The image of a dignified turtle with a strange large stature makes tourists curious when coming here.
People are praying for luckily in the Ngoc Son Temple
The combination between Ngoc Son temple and Hoan Kiem lake has created an integrated architecture of Thien (heaven) – Nhan (human); creating ancient and harmonious beauty for temples and lakes; evokes a sense of harmony between man and nature. Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake have become remnants of the ancient history of the nation; awakening pride, legitimate patriotism as well as spirituality, and awareness of each Vietnamese people about the longevity of the nation.
Opening hours & Fares
Tourists planning to visit Ngoc Son Temple should note that the temple has a ticket booth in front of The Huc Bridge leading to Dac Nguyet Lau. If you only visit and admire the scenery on the bridge without going deep in, there is no need to buy a ticket. However, it is important to tell the conductor at the end of the bridge in advance. Ngoc Son Temple is open all days of the week including holidays to maximize the conditions for visitors to visit.
About opening hours:
– From Monday to Sunday: 8 am – 6 pm
The current ticket price to visit Ngoc Son Temple is listed as 30,000 VND / adult, children under 15 years old are free of charge
Note: Visitors should pay attention to the time to enter the temple; not too early and not too late. You should also follow the rules in the areas of worship; Such as: Do not dress revealing, cause disorder, spit, play … Especially, many foreign tourists have the habit of taking photos as souvenirs, this is completely normal, But only shoot outside the temple; and should limit photography and video recording inside the worship area.
