An 11th-century temple to Confucius and Vietnam's first national university, with walled courtyards and stelae of doctoral laureates
The Temple of Literature is one of the calmest places in central Hanoi. Behind a high wall on Quoc Tu Giam Street, a sequence of five courtyards leads from the entrance gate past lawns, trimmed trees and ponds to the temple buildings at the back. The second courtyard ends at Khue Van Cac, the Constellation of Literature pavilion, a small two-storey structure with circular windows that has become a symbol of the city.
In the third courtyard, around the square Well of Heavenly Clarity, stand rows of stone stelae mounted on carved turtles. They record the names and birthplaces of the scholars who passed the highest royal examinations between 1442 and 1779, and are listed by UNESCO on its Memory of the World Register. Further on are the shrines to Confucius and his disciples, and at the rear the rebuilt Imperial Academy, with exhibitions about the history of Vietnamese education.
Emperor Ly Thanh Tong founded the temple in 1070 and dedicated it to Confucius. In 1076 the Imperial Academy was set up within it to educate princes and the sons of mandarins, and it later admitted gifted students from across the country, operating until the late 18th century. In 1484 Emperor Le Thanh Tong began erecting stelae to honour doctoral laureates; 82 survive, recording 1,307 graduates of 82 examinations.
Khue Van Cac was added in 1805, after the Nguyen dynasty had moved the capital to Hue and the academy had moved with it. The site was restored several times during the 20th century, including campaigns in 1920 and 1947 by the French School of the Far East, and the fifth courtyard, with its two-storey academy buildings, was reconstructed in 2000. The stelae were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2011.
The temple remains a living symbol of respect for learning. Graduating students come in gowns, families bring children before school examinations, and the courtyards fill with visitors in traditional ao dai at festival times. Calligraphy at Tet is a popular tradition, with people buying a character such as luck, peace or longevity to hang at home. The quiet streets around the temple have cafés and small restaurants serving office workers and students.
A visit takes an hour or two at an unhurried pace. Visitors walk through the gates and courtyards in sequence, stop to read the stelae and the information panels, and climb to the upper floor of the academy building at the back for its displays. Students in graduation gowns often pose for photographs in the courtyards, and before exams young people visit to ask for luck. On selected evenings a night tour with lighting and storytelling is offered, and around the lunar New Year calligraphers set up outside the walls to write wishes in characters for visitors to take home.
The temple is open daily all year. Autumn, from September to November, is the most comfortable season for walking the courtyards. Arrive at opening time to avoid tour groups, and expect large crowds and colourful calligraphy stalls in the days before Tet.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
The Temple of Literature lies about two kilometres west of Hoan Kiem Lake. Within walking distance are the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda in Ba Dinh. Hanoi's Train Street and the Old Quarter are a short taxi ride away.
Vietnam · 11 nights4★ HotelVietnam · 7 nights4★ ResortThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
