Thien Mu Pagoda Hue- Pagoda of the Celestial Lady

Thien Mu Pagoda address: No. 140 – 142 Nguyen Phuc Nguyen Street, Huong Long Ward, Hue City.
Opening hours: 08:00 am – 06:00 pm.
Year of construction: 1601.
Built by: the order of Lord Nguyen Hoang (the first emperor of the Nguyen dynasty).
Entrance fee: Free.
Parking fee: 5,000 VND/bike or 10,000 VND/scooter.
Transportation: Private car, bus, train, boat.
Distance from Hue City: 3.1 miles (5 kilometers).
Estimated visit time: 1 – 2 hours.

Thien Mu Pagoda entrance fee

Because Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Vietnam, is a Buddhist temple so there is no entrance fee to visit. So it is free to explore this beautiful pagoda. What you need to pay for is the parking lot near this pagoda. It costs about VND 5,000 for a bike and VND 10,000 for a scooter.

Thien Mu Pagoda Opening Hours

It is quite easy and flexible about the opening hours at Thien Mu Pagoda. If you would like to avoid the crowd and have good views to take some beautiful photos, and get out of the heat. You should visit Hue Thien Mu pagoda from 6 am to 8 am.

If you would like to enjoy the beautiful moments of Sunset on the Perfume River at the sacred Pagoda de Thien Mu, you should be here at 6 pm.

How to reach Thien Mu Pagoda?

Nowadays, there are many different ways to get to the pagoda. The first is taking a dragon boat to Thien Mu Pagoda along the Perfume River and enjoying the Hue Royal Court Music. Plus, you can ride a bike, or drive a motorbike, or even go for a walk to get there. Besides, if you wish to enjoy the most authentic experience, you can book a Hue City Tour or Hue City Group Tour via Culture Pham Travel.

History of Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda (Also called Heavenly Lady Pagoda) is the oldest monument in Hue with the wonderful Royal architecture, poetic views, and perfect Feng Shui. It has gained a reputation for not only its ancient beauty but also its mysterious stories.

Linh Mu Pagoda lies on Ha Khe Hill, on the Northern bank of the Perfume River in Hue city. It is about 5 kilometers from the center to this amazing area.

With a history of more than 400 years, Thien Mu Pagoda history is very rich and possesses many stories associated with important periods of the country, as well as interesting folk tales.

You may be interested in our Hoi An to Hue Day Trip, Hue City Tour Half Day, and Hue City Tour by private car.

Highlights of Thien Mu Pagoda

An important spiritual symbol of Hue City

Built in 1601, after more than 400 years of existence, Thien Mu Pagoda Hue is one of the most ancient and sacred pagodas in Vietnam. This is a prominent place for prayer and tourism that you cannot miss when visiting the ancient city.

Learn about the mysterious story of the pagoda

Not only is it a famous tourist destination, Thien Mu Pagoda is also a place to preserve many mysterious folk stories, in which the most prominent is the curse of love. This creates a unique and interesting feature for this place.

Unique location

Thien Mu Pagoda is located on Ha Khe hill, overlooking the poetic Huong River. Surrounding the pagoda are green trees, lotus ponds, and a quiet space that makes people’s hearts become peaceful. Not only a place of prayer, but many tourists also choose the pagoda Thien Mu Hue as an ideal place to take photos for their Hue trip.

Explore the unique architecture of Thien Mu Pagoda

The architecture of this pagoda has been preserved and preserved since 1601 until now. From the outside in, you can explore works such as Phuoc Duyen Tower, Giant Turtle, Three-Door Gate, Dai Hung Shrine, and the large garden behind the pagoda.

Learn about culture and history

Thien Mu Pagoda is associated with important historical events of the country through many periods, preserving Buddhist artifacts of historical and artistic value, and contributing to the preservation of Buddhist cultural values.

Near other famous tourist attractions of Hue

Thien Mu Pagoda is close to other famous tourist attractions of Hue city, such as: Hue Imperial Citadel, Truong Tien bridge, Quoc Hoc High School, Dong Ba Market, convenient for tourists when they want to visit Hue City, especially when they do not have much time to travel.

Stories about Thien Mu Pagoda

Origin of the name Thien Mu

In 1601, Nguyen Hoang, the first Lord of the Nguyen Kingdom, came to Thuan Hoa province. He heard an unquestioned story from the local villagers. They rumored that every night, there was a beautiful lady from Heaven appeared on the hill.

She said that “ one day, a true king will build a pagoda here for the country’s peacefulness and prosperity”. On hearing that, Nguyen Hoang immediately built a Buddhist temple and named it Thien Mu. Lately, in 1862, the Tu Duc Emperor changed it into Linh Mu to be more respectful.

Love curse Thien Mu

As you know, local couples who love each other but are not yet married don’t dare to come to the Heavenly Lady pagoda together. At that time, there was a poor orphaned boy who loved the daughter of a well-off family. Unfortunately, the girl’s parents forced them to fall apart. As a consequence, they decided to kill themselves in the Huong River yard ( in front of Linh Mu Pagoda ) to show their true love. Ironically, the boy died, but the villagers saved the girl.

Gradually, she forgot the boy, got married to a rich mandarin, and led a wealthy life. The miserable soul of the boy knew the painful story; consequently, he cursed that every couple coming to Linh Mu Pagoda would break up. Until now, it is an unforgettable, sad love story in the minds of the locals.

Thien Mu Pagoda Bell

The Thien Mu Pagoda Bell, also known as “Dai Hong Chung”, is one of the sacred symbols of this attraction. The bell has a balanced shape, weighs about 2 tons, and was cast in the 18th century. On the surface of the bell, there are sophisticated and sharp carvings.

The legend story with the Thien Mu Pagoda bell is that when this bell is struck, it will resonate far, awakening people’s hearts and easing the sadness in people’s daily lives. Therefore, Hue people also call this bell “the bell that awakens the soul of Hue”.

Currently, the temple bell is one of Vietnam’s treasures, not used to strike but placed as an object used only in important ceremonies of the pagoda.

THE SAD LOVE STORY OF THIEN MU PAGODA

What to see at Thien Mu Pagoda Vietnam?

Phuoc Duyen Tower

From a high altitude, the holy pagoda looks like a giant dragon turning its large back. From the Perfume River, it is easy to see Phuoc Duyen Tower. This is a birthday gift from the Tu Duc Emperor offered to his grandmother in 1844. One special thing about this tower is that there is a statue of Buddha placed to face the south on every floor. Ongoing inside the tower, you can see a spiral staircase leading to the top floor where a golden Buddha statue was previously on display.

Giant Turtle And Dai Hung Chung Bell

Looking around the left and right corners, visitors can enjoy the beauty of the giant turtle, made of marble in 1675. As you know, the Turtle is one of the four holy animals in Vietnam. The symbol of longevity and education. So that’s why some students, before taking examinations, come here to touch the head of the turtle to get good luck.

The stele on the back of the turtle is a commemoration of Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu’s renovation. The text inscribed on the stele, penned by the Lord, portrays the new buildings of the pagoda and praises Buddhism, as well as the monk, who helped the Lord spread the faith throughout the region.

On the left-hand side, there is a pavilion featuring a huge bronze bell, named Dai Hong Chung. Cast in 1710, the bell’s dimensions make it one of the most significant achievements in bronze casting in Vietnam at that time. It weighs nearly 6,000 pounds, is 4.5 feet high, and is audible up to 6 miles away.

Three-Door Gate and Dai Hung Shrine

Entering the Three-door gate with 12 holy guardians, we will reach Dai Hung Shrine. The sanctuary shrine is where people pray and worship three Buddha statues, symbols of the past, present, and future, the three lives of human beings. It is also the place where Buddhist monks worship.

Austin Car and The Stupa

Walking to the backyard, we will see a beautiful rockery. It is for decoration, but also to be an air conditioner. To make the weather cooler in summer and warmer in the winter. There is a large yard with many fabulous bonsai trees. Each monk in the pagoda takes care of one. A bit further, there is an Austin car.

The last one in the pagoda is the stupa. The grave of the first head monk Thich Don Hau. Following the tradition, when normal people died, we put them in coffins to bury. But to the monks, we do the cremation.

Essential notes when travelling to Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda dress code: When visiting the pagoda or any spiritual place in general, you should pay attention to wearing polite and discreet clothes. Do not wear skirts that are too short or shirts that are off-shoulder.

In addition, you can wear ao dai to the pagoda to take pictures. This is an activity that many tourists do when coming to the pagoda.

Thien Mu Pagoda opening hours: The opening hours are from 8 am – 6 pm daily. The best time to visit the pagoda is in the morning from 8 am. At this time, the weather in Hue is cool, suitable for walking and visiting the pagoda grounds.

Do not touch the artifacts in the pagoda: During the visit, do not touch the artifacts such as the bell, Austin car. These are all important artifacts that are symbols of the pagoda, and stand at a moderate distance to observe.

General hygiene: Do not climb, litter, or smoke in the pagoda grounds.

Bring a camera when visiting the temple: you should bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful scenery and make memories with your loved ones

Buy incense to burn at Dai Hung Shrine: You can buy incense at the shops outside the temple to burn incense at Dai Hung Shrine. The price of incense is from 20,000 – 50,000 VND/bundle.

Be careful when climbing or descending the steps: The temple is built high on a hill with quite high and steep steps. Therefore, when climbing or descending the steps, you should move carefully. You should wear low-heeled shoes to avoid slipping.

Attractions near Thien Mu Pagoda

5km west of the city center, Thien Mu Pagoda is close to many famous tourist attractions of Hue city. If you are planning to visit this pagoda in combination with other tourist attractions, here are some popular options:

Hue Imperial Citadel
Address: 23/8 Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City
Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Hue Imperial Citadel is the most famous symbol of Hue city, recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage, once home to more than 13 kings of the Nguyen Dynasty. This work includes palaces, temples, and shrines bearing the typical feudal imprint. From Thien Mu Pagoda, you can conveniently move to the Imperial City along a straight route.

Dong Ba Market
Address: 2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Hue City
Opening hours: 07:00 am – 07:00 pm

Dong Ba Market is the largest market in Hue city, a shopping destination, culinary experience, and a chance to feel the rhythm of local life. Visitors coming here can buy local specialties such as chewy sesame peanut candy (me xung), enjoy dishes such as Hue Beef Noodle Soup (bun bo Hue), and Rice dumpling cake (beo nam loc).

Truong Tien Bridge
Truong Tien Bridge is a familiar symbol of Hue next to Thien Mu Pagoda. This bridge was built in the 19th century, with a blend of Western and Asian architecture. Especially at night, you can see the bridge change into many different colors, reflecting light on the water very beautifully.

Hue Tombs
Finally, visiting the Hue tombs is an important spiritual activity after going to Thien Mu Pagoda. Once the land of more than 13 kings, Hue possesses a system of mausoleums with designs in harmony with nature, unique architecture, and creates interesting experiences for visitors.

Activities in Thien Mu Pagoda

When visiting the pagoda Thien Mu, you can participate in some interesting activities such as:

Take photos
Thien Mu Pagoda Hue has ancient architecture and designs in harmony with nature, very suitable for you to plan to take photos here. Saving memorable moments in romantic ao dai with friends and relatives at Thien Mu Pagoda in the early morning, when the weather is cool, is an interesting activity you must do when coming here.

Burn incense
Visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, it is indispensable to burn incense and pray for peace. Visitors often come to the Dai Hung Shrine area to pray. Or you can take off your shoes, go inside the temple to burn incense, and pray for peace.

Take a walk
Walking around Thien Mu Pagoda helps the soul relax, dispelling constant worries. Behind the main temple of the pagoda, there is a very large pine forest and a long walking path, suitable for walking and sightseeing. During the walk, you can feel more deeply the slow pace of life in the city.

Eat tofu pudding
Enjoying a bowl of sweet tofu pudding after visiting Thien Mu Pagoda is a great choice to end the temple tour. Right after going down the temple, looking across the street, you can see many local people who sell tofu
The sweet taste of tofu is not too sweet, melting in the mouth, and adding the aroma of ginger stimulates the taste buds of every visitor when enjoying this rustic dish. A bowl of tofu pudding costs 10k/bowl.