The Quan Thanh Temple, which name translates from Vietnamese as «Place of Gods», has been one of the main shrines of Hanoi and all of Vietnam since ancient times up to today. Going to learn more about the religious life of the capital, you must not leave it without your attention.

To find Quan Thanh, go to the street of the same name, which is near West Lake. This is the biggest water reservoir located right at the center of the city, surrounded by lots of hotels, restaurants and beautiful gardens. It is the place where the oldest Tran Quoc Pagoda and one of the oldest temples Quan Thanh are located.

The Taoist temple was built long ago, in the 11th century. During all its long history, it has been rebuilt and modified. The last changes were made at the end of the 19th century: the entrance gates, the courtyard, the main hall and particular elements of the temple were redesigned. Since then, the appearance of the shrine has not changed.

Attentive travelers will notice that the appearance of Quan Thanh combines different styles of the Imperial era, so it is literally impossible to attribute the temple to some concrete architectural movement. Thanks to this specific feature, the exterior of the temple differs from the neighboring pagodas.

On the territory of Quan Thanh, tourists get to a spacious yard where they can relax in the shade of huge banyans – trees with the biggest crowns. Besides, this place houses the sanctuary with a massive sculpture of Xuanwu deity made of black bronze by local artists. By the way, Quan Thanh was built in honor of that deity. According to a legend, at the beginning of the 11th century, Xuanwu helped to exorcise evil spirits that interfered with the construction of a defensive fortress in the city. The Vietnamese Emperor Ly Thai To, as a gesture of gratitude, decided to build Quan Thanh in honor of the Black Warrior of the North (this is the second name of the deity which is well-known among residents of Vietnam).

At the same time when the statue was made, a bronze bell 1.15 meters high was cast there. Moreover, a collection of old verses of the 17th-18th centuries was placed in the sanctuary.