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Hanoi
Hanoi is the capital of
Vietnam, the political, economic, cultural, commercial, and tourist
center of the country. To visit Hanoi is to step yourself in history,
tradition, and legend in a capital that has been inhabited for almost a
millennium. Hanoi is an ancient capital, established in 1010 during the
Ly dynasty. The flow of time brought this capital various different
names: Thanglong, Dongdo, Hanoi. Nowadays Hanoi still preserves plenty
of ancient architectural works comprising the old streets and over 600
pagodas and temples (such as the Temple of Literature, Ngocson temple,
Hai Ba Trung temple, One pillar pagoda, Tranquoc pagoda ..) lying
nestled in rows of trees. Hanoi’s present architecture is mainly from
the 19th and 20th centuries, and the stately French built section of
town is largely intact.
Beside the ancient
architectural works there are also many new ones (such as Mausoleum of
President Ho Chi Minh, the Cultural palace ..). The system of museums
and theatres is extremely rich and varied.
Hanoi
possesses tens of hectares of lakes lying intertwined with its streets,
the largest ones among them are Hoankiem lake, West lake and Trucbach
lake, all of them lined with roads under verdant tree foliage. All these
mingle together and render Hanoi a purely poetical beauty which
immensely satisfies the taste of tourists.
Hanoi is also a city of many
traditional handicrafts : bronze mounding, silver carving, lacquer,
embroidery... Many consumer goods, handiwork and table delicacies are
highly appreciated by visitors from everywhere in the world.
Hanoi gastronomy appears very
excellent and special. Just try the speciality of "Cha Ca" to have an
unforgettable meal. Hanoi proves to be a vivid city full of colours and
many things to discover! Sight-seeing Spots
THE HOAN KIEM LAKE & THE
NGOC SON TEMPLE
They are located in
the heart of the city. Legends said that on the occasion of King Le
Loi's relaxation trip by sampan on the lake after the victory over the
Ming aggressors, a Golden Tortoise emerged to request him to return the
holy sword given to him by the Sky God to protect the country against
the enemy. This small lake is nicely bordered by age - old trees. In the
extreme north is an islet accessible by a wooden bridge painted red
namely The Huc. The small temple of Ngoc Son of 19th century is
dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao, a hero against the Mongolians in the
13th century together with three genie: La To, the pioneer of medical
career; Nguyen Van Xuong, the genie of literature; Tran Vu, the genie of
martial arts. In the middle of the lake is the tortoise tower considered
as the contemporary symbol of Hanoi.
THE
TEMPLE OF LITERATURE
Built in 1070,
consecrated to Confucius and used as a school for princes, the temple of
literature was considered as the first university of Vietnam in 1076. It
is about 350m long and 70 m wide and surrounded by a vast wall of
bricks. There are 5 yards inside. The middle entrance is for the king;
one side entrance is for the civilian mandarins and the other for
military ones. Behind the big door is the pavilion for poetic
entertainment dated 1802. All the most educated people recited and
composed poems and made literary comments. In front of the rectangular
yard lined with 82 stone stelae carved with the names of the doctors of
philosophy who passed the king's examination from 1498 to 1787.
THE TEMPLE OF QUAN THANH
It is located on the side of Truc Bach lake. In the 11th century Ly Thai
To had it built and consecrated to Tran Vo, the genie of the North who
freed the lake, according to the legend, from the terribly harmful wolf
of nine tails. Tran Vo bore a Black flag and his symbols are the
tortoise and snake. In the 18th century, the temple was renovated and
the statue of Tran Vo was cast in bronze. This statue is 3.4m tall and 4
tons heavy, and placed inside the temple.
THE ONE PILLAR PAGODA
This is a nice square and wooden pagoda leaned on one pillar in the
middle of a green lotus pond. It was constructed in 1049 and called Dien
Huu. Legends said that King Ly Thai To did not have any sons. One night
the Goddess of Mercy in his dream sitting on a lotus gave him a son.
Later he married a young country girl and had a successor. The king
thanked the Goddess of Mercy by building this pagoda in the form of a
lotus.
THE MILITARY MUSEUM
This establishment was
built at the end of the 20th century. During the colonial time it used
to be the base for the French army. Nowadays it has been transformed
into the museum of all displays of the Vietnamese resistant wars against
the foreign invaders with many photos of war vestiges and trophies. All
the displays and exhibits are surprising particularly the audiovisuals
means to illustrate the battle of Dien Bien Phu and the liberation of
Sai Gon.
THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Formerly it was in the
area of the French Far East school. It consists of a rich collection of
pre-historical objects and periods of building the country. Visitors
will discover the Vietnamese history from the beginning of the country
until now.
PRESIDENT
HO CHI MINH'S MAUSOLEUM
The mausoleum that was inaugurated in 1975 is the permanent memorial for
Respected Uncle Ho, the founder of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It
is 21 m high and in Vietnamese grey marble and granite. Like a lotus
flower it was erected right at the historical place of Ba Dinh where
President Ho Chi Minh declared the independence for Vietnam in 1945. The
mausoleum is now a place of big interest that cannot be missed. The
Vietnamese always line up to visit him to show all good sentiments and
respects to beloved Uncle Ho.
THE OLD QUARTER AND THE
DONG XUAN MARKET
It takes about 5
minutes to walk from the old quarter of Hanoi to the North West of the
Sword Lake. It looks like a tree leaf of which the main vein becomes the
Silk road leading to the Dong Xuan market. It still preserves the
Hanoi an images that inspire the unique sensation of the past of Hanoi.
Numerous small streets bear the names of different corporations of
workers: The street of Cotton (Hang Bong), The street of sugar (Hang
Duong), the street of rice (Hang Gao), the street of charcoal (Hang
Than), street of floor mats (Hang Chieu), street of goldsmiths, street
of fried fish. Dong Xuan located within the old quarter is the main and
vivid market of Hanoi.
THE CO LOA CITADEL
It is 18 km far from
Hanoi, within the district of Dong Anh. It used to be the ancient
capital of Au Lac Kingdom reigned by King An Duong Vuong from 214 to 208
B.C. The citadel of Co Loa has the structure of an oyster shell. Legends
said that at nighttime the white cocks badly damaged the construction. A
holy tortoise was sent by the God of the river who interfered
mysteriously for the complete building of the citadel then a magic bow
was given to An Duong Vuong for defeating the Chinese invaders. Trong
Thuy, the son of Chinese king, Trieu Da, married My Chau, the daughter
of King Thuc and made use of the opportunity to steal this magic weapon.
Then the war happened and the Vietnamese king committed suicide. People
constructed a temple dedicated to King Thuc, princess My Chau and a well
where Trong Thuy was so sorrowful that he committed suicide.
THE PAGODA OF THAY
 This monastery in
Ha Tay province dated back the 12th century is about 40 km far from
Hanoi. This pagoda is for 3 main people: Sakyamuni, the founder of
Buddhism surrounded with 18 arhats; The monk Tu Dao Hanh (The ancestor
teacher of water puppetry); King Ly Thanh Tong reincarnated from the
teacher. It is interesting to ascend the hill of Lai Son of great
magnificent panorama.
THE PAGODA OF TAY PHUONG
This well-known
pagoda, also called Sung Phuc was constructed in the 13th century on a
buffalo shaped hill. There are 262 brick steps up. It comprises of 3
parallel buildings with splendid roofs. 76 statues of jack wood mark the
great artistic value of the 18 century.
THE HUONG PAGODA
A complex of pagodas
on the limestone mountains. A boat ride on the Yen stream through rice
fields up to the mountain is unforgettable. Most temples were built
amidst a chain of Blue Mountains, forests, lakes and grottoes. Pilgrims
from different parts of the country pour into the Huong pagoda in Spring
time. The highest located and also the main pagoda is situated on the
top of the mountain. Thousands of stone steps easily challenge tourists'
adventurous desires. Even the elderly women devoutly are wearing long
kerchiefs while murmuring their prayers between their lips in the belief
that it would lessen the arduousness of the climb. On the Huong Tich
grotto, Trinh Lord 's praises were carved: "First-rate grotto of
southern country"
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