One Pillar Pagoda

Clay Gilliland · CC BY-SA 2.0

A small wooden shrine on a single stone pillar, built after a king's dream of a lotus.

The story goes that King Ly Thai Tong, old and without an heir, dreamed one night of Quan Am seated on a lotus throne handing him a child. A prince was born, and in thanks the king had this pagoda built in 1049: one square wooden chamber on top of a single stone pillar rising from a pond, the whole thing shaped as a lotus emerging from the water. It is small enough that people are startled when they stand before it — only a few metres each way. The present structure was rebuilt after the original was destroyed in 1954, but it follows the old form exactly.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit One Pillar Pagoda?

Morning, together with the Ba Dinh area

How long do you need at One Pillar Pagoda?

20 - 30 minutes

What are the opening hours of One Pillar Pagoda?

07:00 - 18:00

Did you know

The pagoda was built in 1049 under King Ly Thai Tong.
Its design represents a lotus rising from the water, set on a single stone pillar.
It is tied to the legend of a dream in which Quan Am handed the king a son.
The original was destroyed in 1954 and the pagoda was rebuilt to the same form.

Travel tips

It is very small and sits inside the mausoleum grounds — do it in one go with the Ba Dinh sites.
Go early: every tour group stops here for a photograph.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Pillar_Pagoda

Updated: 2026-08-16