Unique architecture of Ba Kieu temple

01/07/2019 16:00

Ba Kieu temple is among the earliest places worshipping Mother Goddesses in Vietnam.

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Located in the East of Sword Lake, Ba Kieu temple (formal name is Thien Tien temple), is an ancient temple with special value on the history and belief of Hanoi capital (Photo: Vietnam+)

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After the French occupied Hanoi, the streets surrounding Sword Lake were expanded. In 1891, the government took part of the temple's land to open Francis Garnier Boulevard (after 1954 it was named Dinh Tien Hoang Street). Therefore, the previous court and front yard of the main temple complex was demolished. Ba Kieu Temple is now a two-part relic separated by Dinh Tien Hoang Street, with the main temple located along the corner of Lo Su Street and the gate on the lakeside (Photo: Vietnam +)

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The worshipping house has a solidly made frame with 8 pillars of ironwood with the main column having circumference of 115cm. The smaller columns are made of white stone, rectangular in shape, each side is 25cm wide (Photo: Vietnam +)

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The two compartments of the secret worshipping hall are the places of worshiping common male gods in Mau temples such as the Jade Emperor and the Five Gods (Photo: Vietnam +)

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Next to the worshipping house is a small structure built on four pedestal columns, 2-storey-style four-storey roof with an array of traditional patterns of the Nguyen Dynasty (Photo: Vietnam +)

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Ba Kieu Temple is a place of worshiping three goddesses: Lieu Hanh Princess, Quynh Hoa and Que Nuong, in which Princess Lieu Hanh is one of the four "immortals" in the people’ belief. Statues of the goddesses are placed in a large church in the middle of the back hall, elaborately carved (Photo: Vietnam +)

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The incense court, parallel sentences, diaphragm ... in Ba Kieu temple all have meticulously carved with dragons, flowers, phoenix ... with 19th century style (Photo: Vietnam+)

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(Photo: Vietnam+)

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The altars are all in the back of the temple with wooden doors separating them from the rest of the space. Originally, this part was not accessible to the public as it was considered sacred. Now it is open, but only on the 1st and the 15th days of the lunar month (Photo: Vietnam+)

Unique architecture of Ba Kieu temple ảnh 10

There are two further altars on the left and two on the right of the central altar. These are dedicated to Vietnamese deities, including Duc Vua Cha, Father King of the Sky (Photo: Vietnam+)