TrungNamHai Hotels

1. Hanoi Opera House

Amid the flow of history, The Hanoi Opera House stands as the architectural, cultural and political symbol of the 1000 year old Capital.

Hanoi Opera House is located on the August Revolution Square, the center of Hanoi, near Hoan Kiem Lake and the Vietnam History Museum. The theatre, designed and overseen by the French, was constructed from 1901 and was finished in 1911. Its design is influenced by the European architectural style under the Renaissance period.

At first, the theater was reserved solely for the Western artists coming every year to perform for French officials and wealthy Vietnamese.

Later, the Opera House started to hold public performance organized by Vietnamese for charity (aid for flood victims or old folks’ homes). Since 1940, many of the Vietnam performance group could rent the “Western theatre” to host their performances.

Since the Independence the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Hanoi Opera House is always the places where important meetings and conferences are held as well as the hosting place for spectacular art performances of both national and international performing art groups.

Hanoi Opera House is of great architectural value, it marks a significant period in the history of architectural development in Vietnam under the French at the end of nineteenth century to early twentieth century. It is a historical witness of the Revolution of Hanoi. Hanoi Opera House saw the beginning of the revolution in Hanoi in 1945. The National Assembly of Vietnam Democratic Republic held their first key meeting here on 3/5/1946 and on 28/10/1946, the 2nd session of the first National Assembly passed the first Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, also under her roof.

With great significance in terms of architecture and history as such, in 1995 the Hanoi Opera House was restored by the government in preparation for the Summit of Francophone to be held in Vietnam in 1998. The restoration was carried out with great commitment, making the Opera House into a cultural center of the country and a cultural landmark in Southeast Asia.

Now, the Hanoi Opera House is not only a venue for art performances, but also a place for visitors to enjoy an almost 100 year old historical architecture. Hanoi Opera House has its special place in history and in the heart of every Vietnamese.

2. One Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot)

Situated between the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the original One Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 under the Ly Dynasty. This beautiful wooden lotus-shaped pagoda rest on a single stone pillar rising out of a lotus pool. Legend has it that in a dream King Ly Thai To saw the goddess Quan Am seated on a lotus leaf offering him a male child in her outstretched arms. Shortly after his dream he married a young peasant girl who bore him the male heir he had dreamed of. The king is said to have built the pagoda as a sign of his gratitude.

Next to the One Pillar Pagoda is the Chua Dien Huu, a quiet haven with a lovely small courtyard.

3. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum

Opening: Everyday except Monday and Friday

The Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum (Vietnamese: Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh) is a large memorial to the Vietnamese leader in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is located in the center of Ba Ðình Square, which is the place where Ho read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, establishing theDemocratic Republic of Vietnam.

Construction work began on September 2, 1973 and the structure was formally inaugurated on August 29, 1975. The mausoleum was inspired by Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow but incorporates distinct Vietnamese architectural elements, such as the sloping roof. The exterior is made of gray granite, while the interior is gray, black, and red polished stone. The mausoleum's portico has the words "Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh" inscribed across it, meaning "President Ho Chi Minh."

In his will, Ho Chi Minh stated his wish to be cremated and to have his ashes scattered in the hills of north, central, and southern Vietnam. He said that he preferred cremation because it would be "more hygienic than burial and would also save land for agricultural purposes." The mausoleum was built in spite of his wishes.

The structure is 21.6 metres high and 41.2 metres wide. Flanking the mausoleum are two platforms with seven steps for parade viewing. The plaza in front of the mausoleum is divided into 240 green squares separated by pathways. The gardens surrounding the mausoleum have nearly 250 different species of plants and flowers, all from different regions of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh's body is preserved in the cooled, central hall of the mausoleum, which is protected by a military honor guard. The body lies in a glass case with dim lights. The mausoleum is closed occasionally while work is done to restore and preserve the body but is normally open daily from 9:00 am to noon to the public. Lines of visitors, including visiting foreign dignitaries, pay their respects at the mausoleum.

Rules regarding dress and behavior are strictly enforced by staff and guards. Legs must be covered (no shorts or miniskirts). Visitors must be silent, and walk in two lines. Hands must not be in pockets, nor arms crossed. Smoking, photography, and video taping are also not permitted anywhere inside the mausoleum.

5. Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace of Vietnam, located in the city of Hanoi, was built between 1900 and 1906 to house the French Governor-General of Indochina.

It was constructed by Auguste Henri Vildieu, the official French architect for Vietnam. Like most French Colonial architecture, the palace is pointedly European. The only visual cues that it is located in Vietnam at all are mango trees growing on the grounds.

The yellow palace stands behind wrought iron gates flanked by sentry boxes. It incorporates elements of Italian Renaissance design, including:

- aedicules

- a formal piano noble reached by a grand staircase

- broken pediments

- classical columns

- quoins

When Vietnam achieved independence in 1954, Ho Chi Minh refused to live in the grand structure for symbolic reasons, although he still received state guests there, and he eventually built a traditional Vietnamese stilt house and carp pond on the grounds. His house and the grounds have been made into the Presidential Palace Historical Site in 1975.

The palace hosts government meetings. It is not open to the public, although one may walk around the grounds for a fee.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located nearby the palace.

6. Ho Chi Minh Stilt House

Behind the Presidential Palace, in a quiet garden is Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House made of wood and built in the style of houses of the mountain people living in the North of Vietnam. This is the place where Ho lived and worked from 1958 until his death in 1969. The ground floor served as an assembly room where Ho met high – ranking cardes. On the second floor are his bed-room and his private office.

7. Ho Chi Minh’s Museum

Behind the Mausoleum is the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Open daily except Monday & Friday from 8-11 am and 2:00 -4:00 p.m. It is a symbolic exhibition relating he history of the struggle for national independence. On the display are many letters, articles as well as Ho Chi Minh’s last and testament and many of his effects.

8. The Old Quarter

In the thirteenth century, Hanoi’s 36 guilds established themselves in what is now called the “36 streets”, also called the “Old Quarter”. Each guild set up in a different street.

The names of the streets are prefaced by the word “hang” meaning merchandise, followed by the product in once represented.

The Old Quarter is the main commercial area where one can find almost anything needed. In sharp contrast to the well planned other parts of the city here you find a maze of extremely narrow streets, churches, pagodas, a mosque, theaters, guest-houses, restaurants and never ending bustling activity. Even if the names now no longer depict the actual trade carried out today, you will still find streets specializing in paper products, bamboo or rattan, tin and aluminum, notions, etc

9. Hoan Kiem Lake

The symbolic centre of the town, surrounded with summer flowering trees. Well used by local residents who like to sit, talk, play board games and exercise on the surrounding paths and gardens.

Legend has it that the 15th century emperor Le Loi received a magic sword from the depth of the lake, which he used to overcome Chinese occupiers. He then returned it to the Lake (“Hoan Kiem” means “return of the sword”)

10. Temple of the Jade Mountain
(Den Ngoc Son)

This temple is perched on the tiny island in Hoan Kiem Lake. It can be reached by decorative red arched bridge. The temple was built in the 19th century. It is dedicated to national 13th century war hero Tran Hung Dao and three saints, Van Xuong (a scholar), Quan Vu (a martial arts devotee) and La To (a physician). On display in the temple is an enormous tortoise that lived iin the lake until 1968. it is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

11. Den Bach Ma (White Horse Temple)

Add: Hang Buom
Dedicated to Long Do, the temple was first built in the 9th century. Apparently a genie appeared to the Chinese Government who ruled Vietnam between 866 and 875 as he walked outside the Cathedral. Cao Bien arranged for metal objects to be buried at the place to exorcise the spirit. They were destroyed during the night, frightening him even more. He thus ordered the building of the Long Do Temple to appease the genie. In 1010 the first King- Ly Cong Uan moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long (present day Hanoi).

He built a new citadel, but the ramparts were mysteriously destroyed during the night. The King saw a white house emerging from the temple, circling the citadel under construction and going back in to the temple. He then built the ramparts in line with the horse’s path and the walls stayed in their place. Inside the present-day temple is a white horse, which is taken out of the temple and around the local streets each year for the festival

“Pagodas (Chua) are dedicated to the worship of Buddhism. Temples (Den) are dedicated to the spirit of a revered person. A Dinh is a communal house”

12. Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)

Address: Quoc Tu Giam

Hours: Open every day from 7.a.m. to 6p.m.

Built in 1070 under the reign of Ly Thai Tong, the temple is dedicated to the worship of Confucius and famous scholars. In 1076, the temple was adjoined by the school of the Elite of the Nation (Quoc Tu Giam), Vietnam’s first national university. It trained young men in literature and philosophy, the best of them became mandarins and court offers.

Above the main gate is an inscription requisitioning visitors to dismount their horses before entering the gate.

The large temple enclosure is divided into five walled courtyards. The third court-yard surrounds a large central pool known as the Thien Quang Thinh (Heavenly Light Well). Here under the trees on either side, 82 stone stele, survivors of the original 117, rest on the backs of stone tortoises. The stele are inscribed with the names, works and academic records of the laureates. Today, you can listen to (sometimes modern) music played on traditional instruments.

13. Tran Quoc Pagoda (Chua Tran Quoc)

Address: Thanh Nien

Situated on a tiny peninsula of the West Lake is Tran Quoc Pagoda, on of the oldest in Vietnam, probably built around 544-548. Despite the many renovations over centuries, the present pagoda still retains a unique architecture style. Inside the pagoda are beautiful statues, the most notable of which is the Shakyamuni Buddha.

14. Quan Thanh Temple (Den Quan Thanh)

Address: Corner of Thanh Nien and Quan Thanh)

It is located along West Lake just off Pho Thanh Nien, which divides West Lake from Truc Bach Lake. It was built during the Ly dynasty (1001-1225). Its houses a huge bronze statute of Tran Vu, guardian Genie of the north, to whom the temple was dedicated. It was Tran Vu who helped King An Duong dispose of the devils and ghosts which plagued the building of Vietnam’s ancient capital of Co Loa.

14. St. Josheph’s Cathedral

Address: Nha Chung and Nha Tho streets

Inaugurated in 1886, the cathedral is noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows. The main gate is open daily from 5-7 a.m. and 5-7 p.m when masses are held.

15. Museums of History

Address: 1 Pham Ngu Lao street

Hours: Opening hours 7:30 -11:30 a.m. and 1-4:30 p.m.

The museum of History occupies a large building built by the French in 1926 and formely used as the Museum of Far East Archaeology. It contains a rich collection of remains for a multi-millennial civilization, from the Neolthic Age and Bronze Age until now. Closed on Mondays.

16. The Fine Arts Museum

Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc

Hours: Tue – Sun (closed on Monday)

From 8:30 a.m – 5p.m, and the museum is open two evenings a week – on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the museum is open until 9 p.m. Closed on Mondays. The Museum exhibits some of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities and prehistory, beautiful wooden statues of Buddha dating from the 17th century, the Dong Son bronze drums and examples of Vietnamese art, both ancient and contemporary.

17. The Ethnology Museum

Address: Nguyen Van Huyen Road

Hours: hours 8:30 a.m – 5;00 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

It is very worthwhile museum which creatively displays the 50+ enthic minority groups that inhabit Vietnam. It gives an interesting look at the crafts and lifestyles of the minorities. There is a nice little museum gift shop outside the museum near the exit.

18. Hoa Lo Prison “Hanoi Hilton” Museum

Address: 1 Hoa Lo

Hoa Lo Prison is a small museum and one wall of the former prison still stands to honor the Vietnamese prisoners held by the French between 1896- 1954. It is also known as the “Hanoi Hilton” where American pilots were held from 1964-1973. Former Ambassador Peterson and Sen. Mc Cain were among those held at this prison. Closed Mondays.

19. Water Puppets

The ancient art of water puppets was virtually unknown outside of northern Vietnam until the 1960’s. This is a “must see’ in Hanoi. It is lively and colorful and a lot of fun. Performances are held Dai Ly at 8 p.m. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, 57B Dinh Tien Hoang. Tel: (84-4) 38245117

20. Army Museum

Address: 28 A Dien Bien Phu

Tel: 84-4 8234264

Opens daily except Monday & Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.