In the XI century. the city was founded by the emperor Li Thai To, who transferred the capital of the state of Daikoviet here. Until the middle of the 19th century, Hanoi was called Thanglong or "flying dragon". For tourists, it is of undoubted interest due to the preserved authentic atmosphere of Indochina of the century before last.
Artisans, jewelers, fishermen and potters still live in the historical part of the capital between the Red River and the old fortress. Many ancient buildings have survived here, and interesting historical and art exhibitions are open in museums.
When making a list of what to see in Hanoi, do not forget to include in the excursion route the parks that were landscaped by the masters of the past. In such places, natural beauty is surprisingly combined with the ideal creations of human hands.
TOP 10 attractions in Hanoi
Hanoi Fortress
The citadel of Hanoi was founded during the reign of the Li dynasty, which came to power in the Vietnamese state of Daikoviet in 1009. The ruins of the royal complex of that era are preserved on the territory of the fortress. The citadel acquired its modern appearance much later.
The central part of the Royal Fortress consists of several buildings dating from the late 15th - early 16th centuries. Among all the objects, the Banner Tower of Hanoi stands out, on which the flag of the Republic of Vietnam is hoisted. The tower is 33 meters high. It is called the symbol of the Vietnamese capital.
The tower was built in 1812, and it was practically not damaged during the war. During the years of French colonization, the Znamennaya Tower was used as an observation post.
The earliest architectural landmarks in the citadel include the foundations of the Kinh Thien Palace from the first third of the 11th century, the Doanmon Gate connecting the fortress and the palace, and stone railings with dragons carved on them dating back to the late Li reign.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Ensemble
The tradition of preserving the bodies of beloved leaders has not spared Vietnam either. Once in Hanoi, you can look at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. The complex of buildings and structures was built under the leadership of the Soviet architect Harold Isakovich, who was one of the authors of a similar architectural project on Red Square in Moscow.
The complex includes several buildings:
- The building of the mausoleum itself, where the body of the first president of North Vietnam rests. The building has a height of over 20 m and is located in a garden where 250 plant species from different regions of the country have been planted. Ho Chi Minh's body is displayed in a glass sarcophagus in the central chamber.
- The house on stilts where the president has lived in recent years. A modest dwelling was built behind the presidential palace at the personal request of Ho Chi Minh.
- Museum dedicated to the life of the president and Vietnam's revolutionary struggle against imperialism. The building is notable for being built in the shape of a lotus flower.
- Actually, the presidential palace, where Ho Chi Minh ruled the country. It has existed since the days of Indochina, when it served as the residence of the Governor-General.
On the territory of the memorial there is also one of the oldest landmarks of Vietnam - the One Pillar Pagoda.
Tyua-Mot-Cat
The famous One Pillar Pagoda, located on the territory of the Ho Chi Minh memorial, was built in the first half of the 11th century. by order of Emperor Li Thai Tong.
Legend has it that the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara appeared in a dream to a childless ruler. The deity sat on a lotus flower and held out the baby to the emperor. Soon the ruler became a happy father and in gratitude built the Pagoda on one pillar in the middle of a lotus pond. Thua Mot Kot is called one of the most famous landmarks in Hanoi and Vietnam.
Alas, retreating in 1954the French destroyed the shrine, and today only an exact copy of it flaunts on the pillar in the middle of the pond. The teak support pillar was replaced by a concrete one, but the small temple, despite this, has the status of an object with a unique architecture.
Perfume pagoda
Another attraction of the Vietnamese capital is located in the Hyungtichi Mountains on the banks of the Dai River. The Midyk district, formerly Hatay province, is now part of the capital region and you can get to the Perfume Pagoda Buddhist complex by boats departing from the capital's Yen shipyard.
The first temple appeared in these places 2000 years ago, when monks discovered the sacred place where Buddha lived. There is a stone tablet on the current temple, which indicates that the structure appeared in the 17th century. during the reign of Emperor Le Hi Tong.
The first building that welcomes pilgrims and tourists arriving along the Dai River is the Dengchin Pagoda, on the sides of which there are statues of kneeling elephants. Next is the Thienchu Pagoda - "Heavenly Kitchen" with a bell tower and a statue of Guanyin. The Zayoan Temple is built on the banks of a pond where nine streams flow, and the center of the complex is the Inner Temple in a cave, whose entrance resembles a dragon's mouth.
Temple of Literature
South of the Citadel you will find a complex of ancient pagodas located in the park called the Temple of Literature. Having founded in the XI century. an architectural complex, Emperor Li Thanh Tong dedicated it to Confucius, and a little later, the first university in Vietnam was opened on the territory of the Temple of Literature. The children of noble nobles and the offspring of the imperial family studied there. The names of university graduates were carved on stone steles resting on turtles, which symbolized wisdom. Stone tables dating from the 15th-18th centuries have been preserved in the courtyard of the complex.
The layout of the Temple of Literature is identical to the complex in the homeland of Confucius in the city of Qufu. Five courtyards symbolize famous elements, the territory is decorated with lotus ponds and a sacred banyan tree, and the main temple is the Confucius worship pagoda. It rests on 40 pillars, painted with images of dragons.
Lake of the Returned Sword
Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of the capital was formed on the site of the old channel of the Red River. Translated from Vietnamese, its name means "Lake of the Returned Sword". Legend has it that Emperor Le Loi, who defeated the Chinese conquerors, held a party on the lake where an old turtle lived. She appeared in front of the emperor sailing on boats and his retinue and demanded the return of the sword with which Le Loy defeated the enemy. There are a couple of islands on the lake, which, according to the Vietnamese, symbolize the shell and head of a turtle.
On an islet in the center of the lake, the beautiful Ngonk Son Pagoda is built, where the shells of three turtles that lived in the local waters are kept. It is especially pleasant to look at Hanoi from a bridge over the waters of the lake in the evening, when the shores are illuminated.
Changquoc Pagoda on Lake Tay
The largest lake in the Vietnamese capital is a favorite vacation spot for its residents and tourists. On its shores you will find many restaurants and entertainment venues, and in the center of the lake on a small island, you can look at one of the oldest buildings in Hanoi, Chang Quoc Pagoda.
It was built by the emperor Li Nam De, who ruled the state in the distant VI century. The pagoda served as the center of Buddhism for several dynasties and remains a sacred site today.
You can get to the magnificent example of oriental architecture on the Golden Fish Island along the wooden walkways, laid in the middle of the 17th century. The 11-storey stupa rises 15 meters, and each of its tiers is decorated with statues of Buddha Amitabha. The pagoda is surrounded by a picturesque garden and lotus thickets in the waters of the lake.
Museum of Ethnology
Vietnam is home to over fifty officially recognized ethnic groups. The exposition of the Museum of Ethnology in the Kausiai region is devoted to the study of the diversity of their cultural heritage. The museum was opened in 1997.in a purpose-built building shaped like a Dong Shon drum.
The collection contains various household items of all Vietnamese peoples. You can see the national everyday and festive clothing, musical instruments, dishes, furniture, weapons and agricultural implements. On the territory of the museum, typical dwellings of some ethnic groups have been recreated, in which an authentic atmosphere is presented, typical for residents of various regions of the country.
Hoalo Museum
In 1896, the French colonial authorities built a prison for political prisoners in Hanoi. Today, in the museum, on the site of the former dungeons, you can see an exhibition that tells about the most dramatic periods in the history of Vietnam.
During the war between the north and south in the middle of the last century, the prison was used to hold prisoners of war. American pilots awaiting trial here nicknamed her "Hanoi Hilton". The Vietnamese themselves called the torture chambers Hoalo, which means - "Fiery furnace."
The current US Senator John McCain was a well-known prisoner of Hoalo, and the last prisoners left the dungeons only in the 70s of the twentieth century. Two decades later, the prison was demolished and modern buildings were erected in its place. In the preserved guardroom, the Hoalo Museum was opened, the exposition of which makes you think hard about the value of freedom.
Army Museum
The combat path of the Vietnamese Armed Forces can be traced by getting acquainted with the collection of exhibits of the Army Museum. Dozens of samples of military equipment and weapons belonging to the armies of Vietnam, the USA, the USSR, France and China are displayed on the stands and in the halls.
President Ho Chi Minh initiated the creation of such a museum. The exhibition quickly became popular and ranked among the seven most important museums of national importance in the country.
Thirty rooms present more than 160 thousand items related to military affairs. The museum displays combat vehicles, personal weapons, uniforms, documents telling about the course of army operations. On the sites, you can see planes and helicopters, military bicycles, guns and tanks that took part in the last wars in the territory of the Republic of Vietnam.
