Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy

Nearly a thousand years of keeping the flame of learning

In 1070, King Ly Thanh Tong ordered the construction of the Temple of Literature, creating a space dedicated to Confucius, the sages, and learning. Six years later, King Ly Nhan Tong established the Imperial Academy right next to it, where the country's students and talents were trained. Nearly a thousand years later, that path still exists through successive courtyards, worship structures, and 82 doctoral steles. The steles that once recorded successful candidates were inscribed by UNESCO as a World Documentary Heritage in 2011, and in 2012, the entire Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy was ranked as a Special National Monument.