Sightseeing and Activities in Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Ho Chi Minh is probably the most popular leader of
Vietnam and known to his people as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is preserved here in a
glass case at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in central Hanoi (albeit against his
wishes).
For visitors, a trip to Uncle Ho’s final resting
place can be an extraordinary experience as it is not just an average
attraction; it’s a part of a unique history.
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Highlights
Started in 1973, the construction of the mausoleum
was modeled on Lenin's mausoleum in Russia and was first open to the public in
1975. The granite building meant a great deal for many locals as it ensures
that their beloved leader ‘lives on forever’.
Security is tight and visitors should dress with
respect (no shorts, sleeveless shirts and miniskirts) and everyone has to
deposit their bags and cameras before getting in. Visitors are not allowed to
stop and hold the constant queue up as the place is constantly busy. Uncle Ho’s
remains are sent yearly to Russia for maintenance therefore the mausoleum is
closed usually from October onwards. It’s best to recheck with your hotel tour
desk before visiting. Admission is free but donations are accepted.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from
08:00 – 11:00.
Closed on Monday and Friday Location: At Ba Dinh
Square in Hanoi city centre
Tel: +84 (4) 845 5128
One Pillar pagoda
The One Pillar Pagoda (Vietnamese:Chùa Một Cột,
formally Diên Hựu tự , which litterally means “long lasting happiness and
good luck”) is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As
you visit Hanoi, you may come to various other monuments, parks and historical
places. Yet, the One-Pillar Pagoda reflects the architectural splendour that
the country has grown.
Where is it located? The unique pagoda is
located in the western part of the city, near Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ong Ich
Khiem St., Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
The Legendary story:
According to legend, ageing Emperor Ly Thai To of the Ly dynasty, who had no
children, used to go to pagodas to pray to Buddha for a son. One night, he
dreamt that he was granted a private audience to the Bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara, who was seated on a great lotus flower in a square-shaped
lotus pond on the western side of Thang Long Citadel, gave the King a baby boy.
Months later, when the Queen gave birth to a male child, the Emperor ordered
the construction of a pagoda supported by only one pillar to resemble the lotus
seat of his dream in the honour of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. According
to a theory, the pagoda was built in a style of a lotus emerging out of the
water.
Formation:
Emperor Ly Thai Tong had this temple constructed in gratitude for the mentioned
significant legendary event in 1049, by erecting a pillar in the middle of a
lotus pond, and a temple of lotus-shape, exactly similar to what he saw in the
dream. This unique shape of the pagoda together with the special story has been
of great absorption to hundreds of thousands of international tourists!
This Pagoda was located in what was then the Tây Cấm
Garden in Thạch Bảo, Vĩnh Thuận district in the capital Thăng Long (now known
as Hanoi. It was built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter, and
it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of
purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. Before the pagoda was opened,
prayers were held for the longevity of the monarch, hence being considered a
temple at that time. During the Ly Dynasty era, the temple was the site of an
annual royal ceremony on the occasion of Vesak, the birthday of Gautama Buddha.
A Buddha-bathing ceremony was held annually by the monarch, and it attracted
monks and laymen alike to the ceremony. The monarch would then free a bird,
which was followed by the people.
As time went by, the pagoda succumbed to many
ravages caused by the colonial powers. In 1954, the French Union forces
destroyed the pagoda before withdrawing from Vietnam after the First Indochina
War, and it was rebuilt afterwards.
Today’s form: What you see today of the pagoda is a
new form recovered in 1955 when it was refurbished with a concrete pillar from
its remnants by the Vietnamese government. Today's structure can be just called
the replica of the original pagoda, which was a large building. Locals believe
that if you pray here, it will invoke well-beings and prosperity.
Opening time:
The pagoda is open daily from 08:00 a.m to 05:00 p.m. Entrance is free.
Hoan Kiem Lake – a beautiful Basket of Flower in the heart of Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake (or Lake of the Restored Sword) was
once part of the Red river (Song Hong). Throughout thousands of years of
geographical changes, the lake moved eastward to its present position
kilometers from the river. Before the famous historical legend of King Le Loi
here, Hoan Kiem Lake used to be called Luc Thuy Lake (or Green Water Lake)
since the water was green all the year round. In 15th century, it was named
Hoan Kiem Lake after the legend of Emperor Le Thai To, which is somehow similar
to the story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake's.
Now please close your eyes and turn back time to the
Le Dynasty 6 centuries ago to witness the legendary story. During the war
against the Minh aggressors, King Le Thai To was given a precious fairy Sword
by the Golden Turtle God. After 10 years of continuous struggling, the King
finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed the nation’s independence. After
that, on a nice day, while boating on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle came
towards him.
It immediately grabbed the sword with its mouth and
submerged. The king mourned the loss of such a valuable sword, yet could not
find either the turtle or the sword. He realized that the God must have lent
him the sword to drive back the enemy, but then that his nation was free, the
sword must be returned. Hence, King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or
Lake of the Restore Sword after this episode.
Since the reign of King Le Trung Hung (XVI century),
every King in the Le dynasty, and Lord Trinh have all contributed to the beauty
of the lake. Lord Trinh Giang built Khanh Thuy shrine on Ngoc Island on the
north end of the lake. He also had the two manmade hills built across from Ngoc
son Shrine. At the end of the Le Dynasty, Khanh Thuy was toppled by Chieu
Thong. A philanthropist named Tin Trai built Ngoc Son pagoda, which was renamed
into Ngoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri III (1843) as it was no
longer a Buddhist shrine. Instead, it became a shrine of Van Xuong, a deity, in
charge of literature and the various tests required to become a Mandarin. It
has also been a shrine of General Tran Hung Dao, a national Hero who secured
numerous victories against the Mongols.
Hence, Hoan Kiem Lake is now situated inside a
complex of Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Pen Tower in the surroundings,
making a sparkling colorful natural picture! Ngoc Son has undergone a lot of
renovations, one among which was the addition of Thap But (translated as Pen
Tower) on its hill, which was once called Dao Tai. Three words were inscribed
on the tower: "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sky".
Inside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. Beyond
the ink well is The Huc bridge, which means "where the sun light is
absorbed". The bridge leads to Dac Nguyet Lau (or "Moon Light
tower") - Ngoc Son shrine. Beyond the gates to the shrine, there are two
walls called bang Rong and bang Ho (dragon and tiger slate), where the names of
those who passed the national test were inscribed.
What could not be missed in this beautiful complex
is the Turtle Tower, which lies in the middle of the Lake, so as to remind
Vietnamese people of the Turtle God of his great assistance. It was told that
King Le Thanh Tong used to fish here. Lord Trinh also built the structure to
house his entourage while visiting the lake.
Despite the time’s ashes and dust, Hoan Kiem Lake -
the popular historical and legendary beauty-spot is eternal for good as an
evidence of a fairy and heroic Hanoi during the past wars, and a romantic and
charming Hanoi of Today!
The Old Quarter
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is an enchanting maze of 36
narrow streets named after the products that were traditionally sold here -
such as ‘paper street and medicine’ street - and home to the amazing tunnel houses
which have a very narrow frontage hiding very long and deep rooms. Now the
streets are more likely to have a mix of shops including places selling
household items, silk clothes, funerary items and traditional medicine.
Interspersed will be bars, boutique hotels and even karaoke clubs. A great way
to see the Old Quarter is to cruise through the chaotic traffic in a cyclo.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
The large central sector of the Imperial Citadel of
Thang Long in Hanoi was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site just in time for
Hanoi’s millennial anniversary in 2010.
The ancient site was the political centre of the
country for 13 consecutive centuries and served as the capital of Vietnam for
eight centuries.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long Highlights
The central sector of the imperial citadel includes
relics in Hanoi Citadels and an interesting archaeological area at 18 Hoang
Dieu Street. Excavation work took place from 2002 to 2004 at the Thang Long
Royal Citadel site and as a result many artifacts and items from the 6th to the
20th century belonging to the Ly, Nguyen, Tran, Le eras were found.
Foundations of old palaces, relics, ancient roads,
ponds and wells were discovered and as a result the famous Hanoi Flag Tower on
Dien Bien Phu Street in Ba Dinh District, a renovated old stone fortress, is
popular with visitors. On top of these discoveries, archaeologists also found
bronze coins, ceramics and pottery from China and many places in Asia, all of
which demonstrate a close trading relationship in the area. Visitors should
head for the display room that features interesting excavated items as well as
mockups of the citadel itself.
Location:
Next to Ba Dinh Square, opposite the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and also near many
important political buildings including the Vietnamese Presidential
Palace.
Temple of Literature (Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam)
The Temple of Literature is often cited as one of
Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attractions. Originally built as a university
in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars and sages, the building is extremely
well preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese
architecture.
This ancient site offers a lake of literature, the
Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards and passageways
that were once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature you will
discover historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place
that has seen thousands of doctors’ graduate in what has now become a memorial
to education and literature.
Originally the university only accepted aristocrats,
the elite and royal family members as students before eventually opening its
doors to brighter ‘commoners’. Successful graduates had their names engraved on
a stone stele which can be found on top of the stone turtles.
Temple of Literature Highlights
The Temple of Literature is a place of study rather
than a religious landmark. There are five courtyards at the temple, two
brimming with landscaped gardens, the third is home to a large pond known as
the Well of Heavenly Clarity, the fourth courtyard is called the Sage Courtyard
and features a statue of Confucius and a house of ceremonies, and the last
courtyard is Thai Hoc in which stands a large drum and bell tower. This
historic site is ranked as one of Hanoi’s most important cultural places and is
steeped in Vietnamese history.
The layout of the temple is based upon the
birthplace of Confucius with a magnificent main entrance and a path, once
reserved solely for the king, running through the centre. The immaculate
gardens are rich in ancient trees and are considered a serene place in which
students can relax. There are stone statues and inscriptions dotted throughout
the temple which has retained many of its original features as the most renowned
landmark of academia in Vietnam.
Good to know about Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature is a short stroll from Ba
Dinh Square and is also close to the Presidential Palace and Vietnam Fine Arts
Museum. The temple is between Ton Duc Thang Street and Van Mieu Street which is
about 2km west of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Opening Hours: From 08:00 – 17:00 from November
until March and 07:30 – 18:00 for the rest of the year. Closed on a Monday
The Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace in Hanoi is a three-storey
structure located on the north of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Presidential Palace
stands as a memento of French contribution to the architectural splendor in
Indochina. This mustard-yellow palace was built from 1900 to 1906 to function
as the living and operational bases of the governors-general of Indo-China.
Located on Hung Vuong Street and Hoang Van Thu Street, the designs of this
palace were conceived by Auguste Henri Vildieu, the French architect officially
appointed for Vietnam.
History says that Ho Chi Minh denied staying in
Presidential Palace in Hanoi when he returned to independent Vietnam after
defeating the French in 1954. He rather began staying in a mere cottage within
the premises of the palace from 1954 to 1958. Thereafter, he built a Vietnamese
house made of stilt but he continued to use the palace when important guests
came to Hanoi.
The tradition continues even now as the palace
offers site for official receptions to guests and for other administrative
meetings.
Features of Presidential Palace in Hanoi
- You won't be allowed to enter the palace
but you can go around it for a look from outside.
- The building is enclosed by gardens and
orchard and the famous Mango Alley, which being 300 feet long boulevard, leads
from the palace to the stilt house where Ho Chi Minh stayed.
- Displaying the French architectural style,
the palace has a conical structure.
- There are gates of wrought iron with sentry
boxes at the entry of the palace.
- You will find parts of Italian Renaissance
design used in 16th and 17th centuries in the structure of the building like
the second floor with a stairway ending in the arched portal, broken gables,
intricate columns and aedicule’s.
The Perfume Pagoda
Sixty kilometers southwest of Hanoi the Red River Delta ends abruptly where
steep-sided limestone hills rise from the paddy fields. The most easterly of
these forested spurs shelters north Vietnam’s most famous pilgrimage site, the
Perfume Pagoda, Chua Huong, hidden in the folds of Ha Tay Province’s Mountain of
the Perfumed Traces, and said to be named after spring blossoms that scent the
air.
The Perfume
pagoda, one
of more than thirty peppering these hills, occupies a spectacular grotto over
50m high. The start of the journey is an hour’s ride by row-boat up a silent,
flooded valley among karst hills where fishermen and farmers work their
inundated fields. From where the boat drops you (memorize your boat’s number as
there are hundreds of identical craft here), a stone-flagged path shaded by
gnarled frangipani trees brings you to the seventeenth-century Chua Thien Chu.
Note that respectful attire – meaning long trousers, skirts below the knee and
no sleeveless tops – should be worn for this trip; nobody will berate you for
not doing so, but you might be the subject of unflattering comments. A hat or
umbrella is also a help, as the boats have no shelter.
Chua Thien Tru
A magnificent, triple-roofed bell pavilion stands in
front of the Chua Thien Chu, (“Pagoda Leading to Heaven”). Quan Am, Goddess of
Mercy, takes pride of place on the pagoda’s main altar; the original bronze
effigy was stolen by Tay Son rebels in the 1770s and some say they melted it
down for cannonballs.
Path to the Perfume Pagoda
To the right of the Chua Thien Chu as you face it, a
path leads steeply uphill for two kilometres (about 1hr) to the Perfume Pagoda,
also dedicated to Quan Am. It is a hot and not particularly interesting walk up
the mountain or a quick but expensive ride on the cable car.
Note that the hike is hard going and can be highly
treacherous on the descent during wet weather; you’ll need good walking shoes
and remember to drink plenty of water, especially in the hot summer months.
It’s a good idea to bring your own, or be prepared to pay above the odds at
drinks stalls along the route. During festival time, the path is lined all the
way with stalls selling tacky souvenirs and refreshments, giving the place more
of a commercial than spiritual atmosphere.
The Grotto
The grotto reveals itself as a gaping cavern on the
side of a deep depression filled with vines and trees reaching for light
beneath the inscription “supreme cave under the southern sky”. A flight of 120
steps descends into the dragon’s-mouth-like entrance where gilded Buddhas
emerge from dark recesses wreathed in clouds of incense that is lit as an
offering by Vietnamese visitors.
Tran Quoc Pagoda – the most historic Pagoda in Hanoi
The most historic pagoda in all of Hanoi, Tran Quoc
is the foremost symbol of Buddhism in the country. The landmark’s origins date
back some 1,500 years, although over time it has undergone changes in
appearance and location.
Hanoi Opera House ( Nha Hat Lon)
Location:
The Hanoi Opera House is situated on Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi; near the Red
River and several hundred meters east of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Characteristics:
It is an old theatre with French architecture and typical Gothic and Mosaic
characters reflected on the door domes and the glassed room respectively.
For a long time, the Hanoi Opera House has been a
rendezvous for those who love theatrical performance and traditional songs and
music, symphonies, opera and classical opera. It is also a tourist attraction
for local and foreign visitors.
The Hanoi Opera House is renowned for its unique
architecture and good composition. It is furnished rationally and harmoniously.
Since its establishment, the Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in
Vietnam. Its construction started in 1901 and completed in 1911. Previously the
site was a big pond, adjacent to the city gate of Tay Long (also called Tay
Luong) of the ancient Thang Long Capital. The construction met with many
difficulties, because the foundations of the theatre were built on the pond.
Before building a concrete foundation, nearly one metre thick, the pond was
emptied and dredged, then 30,000 hard bamboo stakes were placed on its
bed.
The Hanoi Opera House is of the same architectural
style as the Opera House in France. Some foreign architects said that due to
being built nearly 300 years after the Paris Opera House, the Hanoi Opera House
avoids superfluous architectural details, which make it more magnificent and
attractive.
After nearly 100 years of operation, the theatre's
equipment and adornments became old and run down. In 1997, the theatre was
repaired and modernized under the management of two Vietnamese French
architects, Ho Thieu Tri and Hoang Phuc Sinh. The original architecture of the
3-storey theatre has remained. The decorative designs on the ceiling, arches,
walls, and doors were renewed. The 3-metre-high stage and the audience's hall,
with 600 seats, were also modernized in conformity with international
standards. The theatre has been equipped with state-of-art facilities and
appliances, compatible for all types of artistic performances, from folk music
and songs, ballets and piano to classical opera, reformed opera, Vietnamese
operetta and drama, all made great impressions on the audience. The Hanoi Opera
House has also successfully organised many large-scale international
concerts.
The Hanoi Opera House is a worthy artistic centre
and a cultural and architectural relic of the capital Hanoi.
Vietnam Military History Museum (Bao Tang Lich Su Quan Doi Vietnam)
Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the
most visited museums in Hanoi and houses a vast array of military memorabilia
in indoor and outdoor collections. The museum initially covers military history
right up to the 20th century before going into more detail from 1930 until the
victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and then concentrating on the People's Armed
Forces up to 1975, including the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In the grounds of the
museum there are old planes, tanks, guns and bombs, captured equipment,
including a Huey helicopter, and a wrecked B-52.
Opening Times: Tues-Thurs, Sat-Sun 0800-1130 and
1300-1630.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu, Hanoi, Vietnam
Telephone: (04) 3733 4682.
Website: http://www.btlsqsvn.org.vn