Ba Kieu Temple - an ancient Mother Goddess worshiping site in the center of Hanoi

Ba Kieu Temple is a special spiritual place associated with the Mother Goddess worship of the people of the Capital. Besides, this place is also famous for its unique ancient architecture, carrying special values in terms of history and national culture.

History and location of Ba Kieu Temple

Ba Kieu Temple is located at 59 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Ly Thai To Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. This is considered a sacred area of the capital, near Hoan Kiem Lake with Turtle Tower and Ngoc Son Temple, and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. A visit to Ba Kieu Temple opens up the opportunity to experience many other attractions right in the center of Hanoi. With a long history and unique architecture, Ba Kieu Temple is an interesting stop, attracting the attention of tourists who want to experience Hoan Kiem District.

Architecture and subdivisions of Ba Kieu Temple

The temple is divided into two parts by Dinh Tien Hoang Street. The main temple area is located at the corner of Lo Su Street, while the three-door gate is located on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake, overlooking Ngoc Son Temple. The three-door gate has a traditional three-door architecture, made of bricks with gable walls and tiled roofs. This is where visitors pass through to enter the worship area. The main worship area of the temple includes three sub-areas: the main worshiping house, the courtyard, and the back palace. Walking on the walking street, visitors can see the flower garden of Ba Kieu Temple next to the gate of the Martyr Monument.

The main hall and the courtyard

The main temple consists of 3 different sections, built from bricks with 3 larger rooms than the main gate. The architecture retains the style of gable walls and tiled roofs. The roof is in the style of the Nguyen Dynasty, with a ridge shaped like a communal house with two green enamel dragon fish statues on a sacred water jar in the middle of the roof. Inside the main worship house, the ends are decorated with dragon heads, veins and seals. It is paved with large gray-green stones. The large column frame is built from 8 ironwood columns, with solid stone underneath. The outer porch columns are smaller in size, rectangular in shape. The highlight is the four carp transforming into dragons on the beams and under the front and back roofs. Right behind the main worship house is a unique Nguyen Dynasty architecture, with 4 square-shaped column bases and 2 floors, the roof is carved with traditional motifs.

The Palace and the statues

The most sacred area in Ba Kieu Temple is the Back Palace. This place has the same architecture as the main worship house and the three-door gate, consistent with the style of the gable wall. It is located on Lo Su Street according to the map of modern Hanoi's Old Quarter.

In the Back Palace, the statues are placed in a large altar, meticulously and delicately carved, demonstrating the skill and ingenuity of ancient craftsmen.

On the upper floor are three statues of the Holy Mothers: Mother of Heaven, Mother of Earth, Mother of Water (or Mother of Water).

On the ground floor is a statue of Princess Lieu Hanh and two fairies Quynh Hoa and Que Hoa.

Outside the altar there are small statues of two girls and two boys.

On both sides are the altar of the Lady of the Upper Realm on the left and the Temple of the Lord on the right.

In the Back Palace, there are altars to male gods usually worshiped in the Mother Temple such as the Jade Emperor and the Five Gods. These small statues are from the 19th century, during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Interesting experiences around Ba Kieu Temple

When visiting Ba Kieu Temple, to have a smooth journey and ensure the sacredness, visitors need to pay attention to a few things. From Ba Kieu Temple, you can easily walk to many famous places near Hoan Kiem Lake, including The Huc Bridge, Ta Hien Street, Hanoi Opera House, Hang Ma Street and 36 streets. To make the trip more special, in addition to the suburban areas, you can visit Hanoi's shopping centers to experience many entertainment activities and enjoy delicious food.

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