Mong Phu Temple is located on one of the central and tallest places of Mong Phu village in Son Tay district, Ha Noi, about 1,800 m² in size and is full of architectural values.

Based on the architectural style and sculpture art, the researchers said that Mong Phu was built in the Le dynasty. 

The temple was first renovated in 1858, under the reign of Emperor Tu Duc, and recently (2006 - 2008) the temple has been renovated but still keeps basic and original architecture and sculpture.

The temple consists of “Nghi môn” (main gate), the yard, “Tả mạc” (chamber on the left side), “Hữu mạc” (chamber on the right side) and “Đại đình” (main chamber). 

In addition, outside the temple (right hand side from the temple’s gate) there is “Xích hậu” chamber. This is where the reception and preparation were hold for the ceremony before entering the temple.

The main gate consists of four square pillars built of bricks, two large pillars and two smaller ones. 

The four pillars of the square are decorated with four sacred figures, on the top of the two large pillars there are two lions sitting at the center and on the top of two small pillars there are two vases. 

The pillars are decorated with “Hán” (old Chinese) characters. This is the place where the ancestors of the village and people with merit to the village pay tribute.

Dai Dinh consists of five rooms with two doors, four curved roofs and the facade looking southwest. 

The back chamber is a building that connects three rooms in the middle of the main building and opening up to the back. The two sides have two ancient wells (the so-called dragon eyes). 

The roof looks like a hammock covered with tiles in “Mui hai” (tip of shoe) shape. There are two dragons at the rooftop. The roof curves upwards into a dragon shape. 

Decorative trusses such as dragons, tigers, fish, birds, flowers, clouds, etc. are embossed and sculptured. 

The main house has no partition walls, only a row of railings around the bar. There are two decks on the second floor.

The altar is located in the middle of the back chamber, together with the throne and the tomb of Tan Thanh Son (also known as Son Vien), one of the four immortal saints of the Vietnamese (four immortals).

The entrance to the ancient village of Duong Lam

Together with Mia pagoda, Mong Phu temple is an architectural work which is rich in artistic values in the ancient village of Duong Lam. 

The interior of the structure also preserves a lot of valuable artifacts. 

One of them is a picture with four Han characters saying "courage brave" awarded by King Thanh Thai to the village after a robbery hunt.

Mong Phu temple was classified by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national historical-cultural vestige in 1984.

Hanoitimes