Quan Thanh Temple

Quan Thanh Temple at 190 Quan Thanh Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam, is a Taoist temple that dates back to the Ly dynasty in the 11th century and is one of the Four Guardian Temples that protected the ancient city of Thang Long. It stands at the junction of West Lake and Truc Bach Lake and is dedicated to Huyen Thien Tran Vu, the god who guards the northern gate. The temple was renovated several times, notably in the 19th century, and its present form combines Vietnamese and Chinese-influenced architecture. Visitors enter through a three-arched gate into a shaded courtyard with old trees and a small pond. The main sanctuary holds the temple's masterpiece, a 3.6-tonne black bronze statue of Tran Vu cast in 1677, about 3.7 metres tall, depicting the deity seated with a sword, flanked by a turtle and a snake. The polished surface, weathered by centuries of touch and incense, gives the figure a dark gleam. Other features include carved wooden altars, red-lacquered pillars, parallel sentences, stone steles, incense burners and a small library of old texts. The temple is quiet, and visits normally take 20 to 30 minutes. The best photo angles are the entrance gate with the trees, the courtyard and the bronze statue, taken respectfully from the doorway. It is busiest on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, when worshippers make offerings, and quiet on weekday mornings. Opening hours are about 8:00AM to 5:00PM daily, and entry is free. The site combines easily with a walk along West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, or the nearby Truc Bach Lake cafes, and it is about a 30,000 VND Grab ride from the Old Quarter. Dress modestly and keep quiet inside.