Hotels near One Pillar Pagoda

Chua Mot Cot (One Pillar Pagoda) is a small but unique 1049 Buddhist temple built on a single 1.25-metre stone column rising from a lotus pond - designed to resemble a lotus flower in bloom, the Buddhist symbol of purity. Emperor Ly Thai Tong built it after dreaming of the bodhisattva Quan Am (Guanyin) handing him a son while sitting on a lotus. The current structure is a 1955 reconstruction; French soldiers destroyed the 1049 original during the First Indochina War.

The pagoda is tiny - the structure measures about 3 metres on each side. Allow 30 minutes including the surrounding garden and the adjacent Dien Huu Pagoda (much larger, less famous, free entry). The site sits in the Ba Dinh complex within walking distance of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace - pair them in one half-day. Free admission; donations welcomed.

Pro Tip: Visit after the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at around 11:00 - the lighting is best for photos and crowds have moved on. The small carp pond around the pagoda makes a good 5-minute pause.