In my opinion, this is the only large "classical" historic place to see in Hanoi. It's decent sized with well kept grounds and buildings that look historic. In other words, there's enough of an old world look and feel with enough upkeep that you know this temple/university is a very important historical site. It's relatively quite inside, so you can... more

The Temple of Literature is a must see in Hanoi. Lovely Gardens, a serene set of buildings. When we were there a huge Vietnamese youth group was visiting and that enhanced my musings about the virtues of a culture that has a temple to Literature in the first place. Check out the books in the giftshop. It was hilarious to... more

This temple was one of the best places to go see in Ha Noi. The stelae immortalized the names of candidates who passed the rigorous exams. When I used to live in Ha Noi, I would come here to get away from the hubbub of the city and breathe in the history. more

My partner and I decided to visit the Temple of Literature on a whim. Thank goodness we did that. The Temple of Literature is built in 1070 and presents an excellent history of the buildings and the importance of education from hundreds of years ago. This place used to be used for Confucian education and later became the first University... more

You must see this while you are in Hanoi. First, it is a look into the past of the city and country--long before the Uncle Ho, long before the French. It gives you a good overview of the importance of Confusianism in Vietnam. As important, it is a haven of quiet in a city of noise. After (or before) you... more