Hanoi essentials

Hanoi’s millennium-long history is anchored by the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long and the 11th-century Temple of Literature. The city’s spiritual landscape includes the lakeside Tran Quoc Pagoda and the architecturally unique One Pillar Pagoda. French colonial legacy is evident in the Gothic-style St. Joseph’s Cathedral and the Hanoi Opera House. Essential landmarks like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison offer insights into Vietnam’s revolutionary past, while the Old Quarter and Long Bien Bridge showcase the city’s enduring urban character.

Hanoi Essentials — Map

josh jackson / CC BY 2.0

A

Hoàn Kiếm Lake

The legend says that the Vietnamese emperor returned the sword that helped him banish the Chinese to the golden turtle god here.

Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY 2.0

B

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a mausoleum which serves as the resting place of Vietnamese revolutionary leader and President Ho…

Yaroslav Lozhkin / CC-BY-SA

C

Temple of Literature

Văn Miếu, literally translated as Temple of Literature, is a temple dedicated to Confucius in Hanoi, northern Vietnam.

User:Chuoibk / Public domain

D

Old Quarter

If you wish to explore the history of the old Hanoi, this is the place from where you might want to start.

Clay Gilliland / CC BY-SA 2.0

E

Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)

Hỏa Lò Prison was a prison in Hanoi originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North…

Greg Willis / CC BY-SA 2.0

F

Tran Quoc Pagoda

Trấn Quốc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, is located on a small island near the southeastern shore of Hanoi's West Lake,…

Gryffindor / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Hanoi Citadel

The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long is a complex of historic buildings associated with the history of Vietnam located in the centre of Hanoi…

Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY 2.0

H

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The perfect place where to see the traditional Vietnamese art. Sit back and enjoy the captivating show.

Gryffindor / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

One Pillar Pagoda

The One Pillar Pagoda, formally belongs to an architecture complex called Diên Hựu tự which means Extend Bless pagoda.

Eustaquio Santimano / CC BY 2.0

J

Saint Joseph Cathedral

St. Joseph's Cathedral is a Catholic church on Nhà Chung Street, in the Hoàn Kiếm District of Hanoi, Vietnam.

Bùi Thụy Đào Nguyên / CC BY-SA 3.0

K

Ngoc Son Temple

This imposing Buddhist temple is devoted to Confucian and Taoist scholars. It is also one of the most picturesque spots in all of Hanoi.

Kris Martyn / CC BY-SA 4.0

L

Train Street

One of the more dangerous attractions is a railway that runs between housings.

joxeankoret / CC BY-SA 2.0

M

Long Bien Bridge

Long Biên Bridge is a historic cantilever bridge across the Red River that connects two districts, Hoàn Kiếm and Long Biên of the city of…

Nicolas Lannuzel / CC BY-SA 2.0

N

Opera House

The Hanoi Opera House, or the Grand Opera House is an opera house in central Hanoi, Vietnam.

Jorge Láscar / CC BY 2.0

O

Dong Xuan Market

Đồng Xuân Market is a market in the center district Hoàn Kiếm of Hanoi, Vietnam.

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