Crystallization of GaN by the HVPE technique on an MOCVD-GaN/sapphire template with photo-lithographically patterned Ti mask and ammonothermally-grown GaN crystals (Am-GaN) was studied and compared. Structural and optical properties of the obtained free-standing HVPE-GaN revealed that Am-GaN seeds produced material of much higher quality in terms of etch pit density (EPD), X-ray rocking curves, and excitonic emission than the sapphire-based templates. The crystallization run on the Am-GaN seed, annealed before the growth in H2 + NH3 atmosphere, resulted in the HVPE-GaN of an average EPD of 5 x 10(4) cm(-2), (002) rocking curve width of 22", and photo-luminescence as narrow as 130 mu eV. However, small change in quality was observed when the Am-GaN seed was annealed in N2 + NH3 atmosphere prior to growth. In turn, the Hall effect measurements showed that the HVPE-GaN grown on MOCVD-GaN/sapphire template possessed lower free carrier concentration and higher mobility than the HVPE-GaN grown on the Am-GaN seeds. These results were associated to the higher growth rate of the examined HVPE-GaN sample. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.