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With its blend of French, Chinese and Vietnamese architecture set amongst three-lined boulevards and lakes, Ha Noi is the jewel of Viet Nam. Charming pagodas and the 36 streets and 36 wares of the fascinating old quarter will attract your attention. Famous sights also include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the ancient Temple of Literature, the Lake of the Restored Sword, the One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi Opera House, the Fine Arts museum and the Museum of Ethnology to name but a few.
Van Mieu: The Temple of Literature
Located in the centre of Ha Noi, Van Mieu, or the Temple of Literature, is the oldest school in Viet Nam, giving it the distinction of being the most significant temple in both Ha Noi and Viet Nam. It is representative of Confucian ways of thought and behavior, and is a historical and cultural relic.
According to historical records, during the 8th lunar month of the Canh Tuat Year (1070), King Ly Thanh Tong raised several important monuments, including the Temple of Literature and the carvings of Confucius, Chu Cong, four disciples, and 72 other scholars who were considered to be model Confucians. Ceremonies were dedicated to them once every season of the year. Crown Princes were traditionally educated here.
In 1076, Vietnam's first university, Quoc Tu Giam (National University), was established under the direction of King Ly Nhan Tong near Van Mieu for the purpose of instructing the children of Mandarins, of Noblesses, and the brightest commoners. During its more than 700 years of instruction (1076-1779), thousands of talented men were educated at Quoc Tu Giam, and most of them became helpful and kind-hearted Mandarin of Viet Nam.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
This site is a huge building on a large square, holding the embalmed body of Vietnam's most prominent leader of the 20th century. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – built despite the fact that his requested cremation – was formally inaugurated on the 2nd September 1973 and used as the permanent memorial for Respected Uncle Ho. The arrangement of the entrance from three sides allows many people to pay homage to him at the same time. Through clear glass, Uncle Ho is lying as if he is taking a short nap, wearing simple kaki clothes and rubber sandals. The Mausoleum is 21m high and made of Vietnamese gray marble and granite. Like a lotus flower it was erected right at the historical place of Ba Dinh where President Ho Chi Minh declared independence for Viet Nam in 1945. The Vietnamese always stand in queue to visit him to show all good sentiments and respect to Dear Uncle Ho.
Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum just opens for a short time every morning except for Monday and Friday. Photography is not permitted inside the building. Nothing may be taken into the Mausoleum. All visitors must leave their bags and cameras at a reception hall.
The Mausoleum is closed for three months a year (usually from September to early December) when the embalmed corpse of Ho Chi Minh is brought to Russia for maintenance.
Hanoi's Pagodas
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Located beside the dazzling West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda is a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism. This pagoda was built under the reign of King Ly Nam De (544-548) under its original name of Khai Quoc (National Founder). It was originally built on the bank of the Red River (then West Lake and the Red River met).
In the time of King Le Kinh Tong (1600-1618), the pagoda was removed to the Kim Ngu (Golden Fish) Islet due to the river bank crumbling and was renamed Tran Quoc (National Defence).
One-Pillar Pagoda
One-Pillar Pagoda is famous for its ancient architecture. It was originally called Dien Huu (Longevity) Pagoda. For many Vietnamese people, the image of the pagoda is the symbol of Viet Nam.
History says that the One-Pillar Dien Huu Pagoda was characterized as the symbol of Buddha. The Pagoda was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. According to the annals, one day, King Ly Thai Tong dreamed that he had met Quan The Am Bo Tat (Goddess of Mercy) taking him to a lotus flower. The King told his men the dream and he was told that it was the symbol of Longevity. The King immediately ordered the construction of the Pagoda in the shape of the lotus flower to worship Avalokitevara.
The pagoda was built in the Forbidden Citadel with a special architecture, all from wood. It was raised designedly on a single stone pillar to resemble a lotus blossom. It can stand firmly on top of the pillar because it is supported by a system of wooden rafters joined by tenons and mortises. The small pagoda in cubic-shaped covered with a curved roof. Each side is nine feet long with a curved roof placed on a round stone pillar. From the edge, there is a narrow brick path running through the pond to a nice ladder leading up into the Buddhist tower where there is a notice reading that the Lotus tower and pagoda were built in memory of a dream had by King Ly.
Hanoi's LakesThe West Lake
There are two legends that explained the origins of the West Lake. According to one legend, the "Ho Tinh" story, the lake was called "Xac Cao" because there was a nine - tailed fox hiding itself here to cause harm to the people. Long Quan, the God of Waters, raised the level of the waters to destroy the nine - tailed fox in his lair; the cave it occupied collapsed and created a lake. Another legend named "Khong Lo casting a bell". In the 11th century, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Khong Lo, had the power to attract all the black bronze from the North, from which he cast a huge bell. The bell’s sound echoed far and wide, and spread northwards, it was heard by a Gold Buffalo. Because black bronze is the mother of gold, the Northern Gold Buffalo followed the sound of the bell to look for its mother. It stopped at the site of the West Lake and turned it into a lake. From there on the lake was called "Gold Buffalo".
Actually, Ho Tay (the West Lake) was created when the Red River changed its course. Geographers have shown that West Lake was once a part of the Red River. It covers an area of five hundred hectares and used to be crowded with many surrounding palaces and pavilions. These were destroyed in the course of various feudal wars.
Hoan Kiem Lake
Since long ago, Hoan Kiem Lake, also called the Restored Sword Lake, has been considered the centre of the inner area of Ha Noi. Geologists believe that the lake was once part of the Red River and was left behind when the river changed its course to where it is today. This change took place thousands of years ago, although the name Hoan Kiem Lake came into being only five centuries ago.
The lake previously had been called Luc Thuy because of its dark blue color water. However, in the 15th century, the name of the lake was changed to Hoan Kiem. Legend said that: When Le Loi was in Lam Son village, he found a sword which he kept by his side during the tens years’ war against the Ming invaders. After they had defeated the enemy, he returned to Thang Long and mounted the throne. On one day when the King made a pleasure trip by boat on Loc Thuy Lake, he saw a turtle emerging on the surface of the water. The turtle asked for the return of the fairy sword. The King believed that the sword had been given to him by God to fight the Ming and now that the enemy had been driven out of the country, God had taken it back. So this is why the King renamed the lake: Hoan Kiem or Returned Sword Lake.
Truc Bach LakeTruc Bach Lake actually came into being in the 17th century. At first, it was called Co Ngu, and was a narrow dyke separating one corner of the West Lake. In 1957 – 1958 the Thanh Nien Road was built. And therefore this lake was separated from the West Lake.
In the reign of Trinh Giang (1729 - 1740), Truc Lam Palace was built on the site of Truc Bach Lake as a pleasure house and then later; it was converted into a reformatory for the custody of ladies of the Royal palace who were found guilty of some crime. These ladies were condemned to weave white silk. Their silk fabric was so beautiful that it became famous throughout the capital under the name of Truc village silk. Hence the name Truc Bach (White Silk) was also given to this lake.
Hanoi's MuseumsHo Chi Minh Museum
This museum was completely built on the occasion of Ho Chi Minh's birthday - on May 19. 1990.
Located near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh Museum is designed in the shape of a lotus flower, as a symbol of President Ho's noble character. It has a 4-storey building took place on a total area about 10,000 m2.
More than 2,000 documents, articles, pictures, and exhibits are displayed in the main showroom of the museum. They illustrate not only the historical events of President Ho Chi Minh's life, but also other important events that occurred in the rest of the world since the end of the 19th century.
Ha Noi Women' s MuseumThe new Women’s Museum is an eye-catching green structure with a grand entryway that seems fitting for the first national museum of this type in Viet Nam. The museum likes an academy, with exhibits and events about minority women, a research library and space for conference on women’s issues.
It took over ten years to collect the 3,000 items on display here, a task that sent public relations specialist Nguyen Bich Van all over Viet Nam to persuade families and provincial women’s union offices to part with photos, clothes and other memorabilia belonging to local and national heroines. From rice pots to rifles, the pieces collected here evoke the public trials and successes of Vietnamese women as well as the personal details of their private lives.
