Temple of the Jade Mountain (Đền Ngọc Sơn)

The city of Hanoi appears to be surrounded by a constant mist due to the humidity and fumes of millions of motorcycles. One place to truly appreciate the mist is at the "Lake of the Restored Sword," a pleasant place in the center of the city whose island contains the Temple of the Jade Mountain, one of the most photographed temples in Vietnam and home to a legend that’s like an Asian version of the King Arthur story.

The legend states that a fisherman named Le Loi dragged from the lake a magical sword which turned him into a brave warrior. His courage led him to be proclaimed king (King Lê Thái Tổ) and lead his people to victory in a 10-year war. One day, he was walking through the garden and saw a giant turtle emerging from the water and coming towards the royal boat. Feeling threatened, the King threw his sword into the water and the turtle grabbed it in its mouth and carried it back to the depths. The king felt the gods must have been angry and had sent the turtle to reclaim the sword. Since then, the turtles in the lake have been things of reverence and they roam free in the temple on the island.

Ngọc Sơn means "Temple of the Jade Mountain" and is found in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake in downtown Hanoi. You can reach the island on a red bridge which adds to the harmonious feeling of the temple. The House of the Moon and the temple entrance are located at the end of the bridge.

There are three buildings within the complex. The first is the study, the central one is dedicated to the scholar Van Xuong, and the third to Tran Hung Dao.

Temple Den Ngoc Son is a Buddhist temple located in the center of Lake Hoan Kiem, which is in the center of the city. You can get to it by crossing a red bridge (one of the most famous sites of the city). The temple was built in the eighteenth century, in honor of General Tran Hung Dao, who defeated the Mongols during the thirteenth century. The sides of the road leading to the lake are decorated with traditional Vietnamese writings. Inside the temple there is a nice collection of bonsai trees and a stuffed turtle (species swinhoei rafetus) that is over two meters long and weighs almost 250 kilos.