Chapter 12 - Hanoi
The Capital City
Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam, located in northern Vietnam on the western bank of the Red River, about 140 kms from the South China Sea. It is the country's second-most populous city, with a population of approximately 8.7 million.
Founded in 1010, Hanoi was named Thang Long ("soaring dragon") by Emperor Ly Thai To. Despite wars and foreign aggression, the city still preserves many historical and cultural sites. The city is a blend of Chinese, French, and Vietnamese cultural influences, visible in its architecture and cuisine.
My Hotel, the Hanoi Center Silk Classic Hotel & Travel was in the Old Quarters which is the hub of all action. The Old Quarter is near Hoan Kiem Lake and retains much of its original street layout and architecture. Historically, the streets of the Old Quarter were dedicated to specific trades, such as silk and bamboo, and it is a bustling area famous for traditional crafts, street food, and markets.
Old Quarters
The first day evening, I walked around the Old Quarters and had dinner at a restaurant called Vietnamese Lantern. The next day, I went for a private walking tour to get acquainted with the area. This was conducted by a student from the nearby University. Her name was Hoang Linh and she arrived in the morning to take me around.
Ngoc Son temple
Our first stop was the Ngoc Son temple. This temple is in the middle of the lake. The temple primarily honors General Tran Hung Dao and Wenchang Wang, among others. Tran Hung Dao was a royal prince and military commander during the Tran Dynasty in the 13th century, He is celebrated for leading the Vietnamese armies to victory against two major Mongol invasions. His military prowess and strategic brilliance have made him a national hero. Wenchang Wang is a Taoist deity known as the God of Culture, Literature, and scholarly success. He balances the temple’s homage to martial valor with scholarly pursuits.
All around the lake, there were people walking, running, doing Tai Chi and Yoga. It was a pleasant and busy area and filled with locals in the mornings and evenings.
Heritage house museum
From there, I proceeded to the heritage house museum. Also called as Ancient House, it is a well-preserved traditional Vietnamese home. Built in the late 19th century during the Nguyen Dynasty, it exemplifies the typical "tube house" architecture characteristic of Hanoi’s Old Quarter - a narrow, deep wooden structure with tiled roofs, wooden beams, and open courtyards that allow natural light and ventilation.
The house showcases the lifestyle, customs, and culture of Hanoi’s affluent merchant class of the Nguyen era. Inside, there are antique furniture, traditional decorations, household items, and artifacts that reflect daily life. The layout includes a ground floor with a living room, dining room, and kitchen while the upper floor contains private bedrooms.
It was the time of the mid Autumn festival in Hanoi which is a harvest festival. It was very similar to Ganesh Chaturthi which was just celebrated in India at that time. There was a TV crew there and I was interviewed on my experience. I talked about how the festivals are similar with offerings of rice and gratitude to the Gods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmMEO74daIo&t=104s
Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple
In the evening, I went to the Tran Quoc pagoda. This is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi and was originally constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De. Its name was changed to Tran Quoc ("Protecting the Nation") in the late 17th Century. The Pagoda has enjoyed royal patronage and served as a center for Buddhist teaching, meditation, and ceremonies, especially during the Ly and Tran dynasties when it was considered the capital of Buddhism in northern Vietnam.
There is a 11-tiered lotus-shaped tower adorned with statues of Amitabha Buddha which symbolizes enlightenment and compassion. The grounds also house a sacred bodhi tree, a descendant of the original tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, gifted from India in 1959.
Nearby is the Quan Thanh Temple, a Taoist temple originally built in the 11th century during the Ly Dynasty, and is one of the Four Sacred Temples that guarded the ancient Thang Long citadel.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum
The next day, I took a Grab to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where I spent around 2 hrs. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh and is located prominently in Ba Đình Square where he declared Vietnam’s independence in 1945. Completed in 1975, the mausoleum inspired by Lenin’s Mausoleum in Moscow blends Vietnamese cultural elements with Soviet influences.
The mausoleum is a solid rectangular granite structure featuring a three-tiered roof and inscriptions in crimson jade stone. Inside, Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body lies in a glass sarcophagus under dim lighting. The lobby displays his gold-plated signature and the phrase “Nothing is more precious than Independence and Freedom”. The mausoleum is surrounded by gardens which includes nearly 250 species of plants including frangipani, bamboo and 79 cycad trees symbolizing Ho Chi Minh’s age at death.
Next to it, is the Museum which is a three-story building surrounded by gardens and an artificial lake. The Museum was opened in 1990 on the 100th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s birth and has exhibitions that document Ho Chi Minh’s life from his birth in 1890 through his youth, his travels around the world seeking Vietnam’s liberation, his role in founding the Communist Party, the resistance wars, and his enduring legacy after his death in 1969. The Museum is impressive and well curated and exhibits included artifacts, documents, photographs, miniatures, gifts from both national and international sources, and multimedia presentations.
In the evening, I went to Purple Blues Bar in the old quarters area. There was a rock band playing and the musicians were very good. I visited this place a few times over the next few days. Hoang Linh also joined me on one the days and we chatted about her plans after University and how student life was. She was majoring in Spanish which I thought was unusual.
The Imperial citadel of Thang Long
The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long served as the political center of Vietnam for nearly 1,300 years. Built initially in 1010 under Emperor Ly Thai To of the Ly dynasty, it was constructed on the site of an earlier 7th-century Chinese fortress.
The citadel was the seat of power for successive Vietnamese dynasties—Ly, Tran, Le, Mac, and Nguyen—until the capital moved to Hue in 1789.
The complex has three concentric sectors: the outer defensive walls, the Imperial City and the innermost Forbidden City which is a traditional East Asian imperial city structure. The site reflects a unique blend of influences from China, the ancient Champa kingdom, and later French colonial elements. In 2010, the site was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Vietnam National Fine Arts museum
The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum is housed in a beautifully restored French colonial-era building combining classical European architecture with Vietnamese design elements. The museum is well curated and exhibits around 2,000 objects across three floors which includes paintings, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, and folk art.
The collection spans prehistoric artifacts, classical period artworks, traditional applied arts, as well as modern and contemporary pieces. The museum also showcases folk paintings and traditional ceramics, and lacquer statues.
54 Traditions Gallery
After coming back from Cat Ba, I went to check out one of the best private antique collections in Vietnam. The 54 Traditions Gallery is a unique cultural and antique gallery which showcases antiques, artifacts, and art of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, including the Kinh majority and 53 minority groups. The gallery features over 1,000 objects displayed across several themed rooms, such as those focused on the Central Highlands, tribal textiles, shamanic traditions, functional objects, water puppets, and stone and bronze antiques. Many items from the gallery’s collection have been exhibited in national museums in Hanoi and internationally.
I spent over 1 1/2 hours here and bought a few items from the gallery. Worth visiting if one is in Hanoi and has an interest in art.
Temple of Literature
My next stop was the Temple of Literature which was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong to honor Confucius, the Chinese philosopher and founder of Confucianism, which has deeply influenced Vietnam’s education and governance. It also served as Vietnam’s first national university to educate royal family members, nobles, and mandarins.
The temple complex has architectural styles from the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties. It features several courtyards, pavilions, and gardens, including the famous Constellation of Literature Pavilion, which has become a symbol of Hanoi. The temple houses statues of Confucius, his four principal disciples, and the Duke of Zhou and is a center for Confucian worship and education.
There is a collection of 82 stone stelae mounted on the backs of carved turtles which record the names, birthplaces, and achievements of 1,307 doctoral graduates from royal examinations held between 1442 and 1779. These stelae have been recognized by UNESCO as a World Documentary Heritage.
Hoa Lo Prison
The next day was 30th of Sep. In the morning, I went to visit the Hoa Lo Prison. This prison was originally built by the French colonial authorities between 1886 and 1901 to detain Vietnamese political prisoners fighting for independence. During the Vietnam War, Hoa Lo was used by North Vietnamese forces to imprison American prisoners of war, mainly pilots. Notable American prisoners included Senator John McCain and Pete Peterson, whose flight suit and stories are part of the museum exhibits today.
Most of the original prison was demolished in the 1990s to make way for urban development, but a section remains as the Hoa Lo Prison Museum. The museum focuses primarily on the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France. It also includes exhibits on the American POW experience, though the emphasis is more on Vietnamese history.
Thang Long water Puppet theatre
In the evening, I went for a show at the Thang Long water Puppet theatre which is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This unique theatre showcases the ancient Vietnamese art of water puppetry, a tradition dating back to the 11th century during the Ly Dynasty. Originating in the flooded rice paddies of the Red River Delta, this unique art form features wooden puppets lacquered and controlled by puppeteers standing waist-deep behind a bamboo screen in a water-filled stage, creating the illusion that the puppets are dancing on water. The theatre had a water stage and seating for about 300 people. The performance depicts Vietnamese folklore, rural life, historical legends, and traditional festivals and was accompanied by live traditional music and singing.
Water puppetry was originally a folk entertainment performed during harvest festivals and special occasions in villages. It later gained royal patronage and became a celebrated art form in the imperial court of Hanoi.
Lao Co Vat antique shop and Van Tribal Art
After 54 Traditions gallery, the next antique shop worth visiting is the Lao Co Vat antique shop which was next in my agenda. It is a highly regarded antique shop and has an authentic collection of Vietnamese antiques and collectibles. I bought a small funeral urn from the shop. The owner kindly offered me tea and we sat down for a proper tea drinking ceremony where he also demonstrated how tea is prepared the traditional Viet way.
Another place to look for authentic art is Van Tribal Art in Hanoi’s Old Quarter that has a good collection of authentic tribal art and artifacts from Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.
After spending some wonderful days in Hanoi and experiencing its culture, sights and food, it was time for me to head back home. It was the 3rd of October and I left early morning for the Noi Bai airport in Hanoi and in 1 hour 45 minutes, I was in Bangkok to take the connecting flight to Bangalore.