Bach Ma Temple

Bach Ma Temple at 76 Hang Buom Street in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam, is considered the oldest temple in the city. According to tradition, King Ly Thai To founded it in 1010 when he moved the capital to Thang Long and struggled to build the citadel walls. A white horse (bach ma) is said to have appeared, walked around the site and vanished, and the king had the walls built along its path. The horse was honoured as Long Do, the guardian spirit of the city, and the temple was dedicated to him. Although the origins are ancient, the present buildings are mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries, following repeated reconstruction. Visitors enter through a carved wooden gate into a small courtyard and then the main hall, where lacquered altars, red and gold decoration, incense burners, parallel sentences and a statue of the white horse fill the space. A stone stele and a life-size white horse in the rear sanctuary are highlights, and a small side shrine honours the Ly dynasty. The temple is compact and takes 20 to 30 minutes to see. It sits on the busy Hang Buom trading street, so the contrast between the quiet interior and the noisy outside is striking. The best photo angles are the entrance gate and the interior beams, taken with permission and without intruding on worshippers. Weekday mornings are the quietest, while festival days, the first and fifteenth of the lunar month and Tet see more worshippers and offerings. Opening hours are typically about 8:00AM to 11:00AM and 2:00PM to 5:00PM, but visitors should verify locally. Entry is free, and a small donation is customary. Dress modestly and speak quietly. The temple lies about five minutes from Dong Xuan Market and Hoan Kiem Lake.