Ba Dinh is the largest square in Vietnam, Tran Quoc is the oldest pagoda in the city with more than 1,500 years old.
As the economic, political and cultural center of the country, Hanoi with a history of more than 1,000 years has a harmonious beauty between modern and ancient. Visitors come here not only to visit historical monuments and works but also to enjoy rich cuisine, learn about the best of the city.
The largest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam
From Noi Bai International Airport to the city center, visitors will cross Nhat Tan Bridge, the largest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam. The bridge was inaugurated in 2015, with 5 rhombus-shaped towers representing 5 historical gates. The bridge has a total length of nearly 3.8 km, a width of 33.2 m with 6 cable-stayed spans. In 2017, the bridge was installed with a new lighting system with 450 lights, which can change color depending on the day and week.
The oldest temple in the city
Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on a peninsula east of West Lake, in Tay Ho district. The temple was built during the Ly Nam De period (541-547) with the name “Khai Quoc”. The pagoda has been restored and repaired many times, so it has the architectural style of the periods, most recently in 2010 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long. The structure of the pagoda consists of many layers of houses with three main ones: Tien Duong, Thieu Huong and Thuong Dien connected in the shape of the word Cong, according to the rules of Buddhist temples. The highlight here is the tower garden, with many ancient towers dating from the 18th century.
Up to now, the temple is still known as “the most beautiful landscape in the period”. This place has also been praised by international media as one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the world, seen from a distance like a lotus flower.
The shortest street in Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake Street is more than 50 m long, connecting Cau Go Street with Dinh Tien Hoang, looking straight towards Hoan Kiem Lake. Because it is so short, many visitors to the city think that the street is just an unnamed shortcut. However, this place is famous for dried beef mannequins, sidewalk cakes and souvenir shops.
The largest square in Vietnam
Ba Dinh Square is located on Hung Vuong Street, in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It has a campus of 320 m long and 100 m wide, with many grass plots representing the mats spread on the communal house yard in the old Vietnamese village, interspersed with a 1.4 m wide path.
Here, on September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Over the years of history, the square has always been a place where Vietnamese people and international tourists look forward to once visiting. Here, visitors can also watch the flag raising and lowering ceremony at 6am and 9pm daily.
The only turtle tower in Vietnam
Turtle Tower is located on a natural land island of about 350 m2 in Hoan Kiem Lake. According to many records, the tower was built during the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, then there was no trace left in the Nguyen Dynasty and was rebuilt after the French fell to Hanoi in 1883. Therefore, the tower architecture has a combination. European style with Gothic roller shutters two floors below and Vietnamese architecture in the curved roof.
Up to now, the turtle tower and many relics around Hoan Kiem lake such as Ngoc Son temple, The Huc bridge are considered symbols of the city, which domestic and foreign tourists must definitely visit when coming here.
