The Essential Hanoi

The Temple of Literature is defined by a series of five walled courtyards that stretch along a central north-south axis, a layout inspired by the birthplace of Confucius. You will recognize the complex by the Khue Van Cac, a two-story…

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum stands as a massive, rectangular granite structure in the center of Ba Dinh Square. Its exterior is defined by rows of marble columns and a wide, tiered roof, with the words President Ho Chi Minh inscribed in…

The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is defined by the massive stone remains of its ancient gateways and the wide, open archaeological grounds that reveal layers of history beneath the modern city. Construction began in ten ten under Emperor…

Tran Quoc Pagoda is recognized by its eleven-story, reddish-orange lotus tower that rises sharply against the horizon of West Lake. As the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, it traces its origins to the sixth century, when it was first…

You can identify the Long Biên Bridge by its distinctive, weathered iron lattice structure that stretches across the Red River. Constructed between eighteen ninety-nine and nineteen oh-two, the bridge features nineteen spans supported by…

Đồng Xuân Market is identifiable by its distinctive facade, which features three large triangular sections punctured with honeycomb-like holes. First built in eighteen eighty-nine by the French colonial administration, the structure…

Ngoc Son Temple sits on a small island within the northern reaches of Hoan Kiem Lake, recognizable by the bright red wooden bridge known as The Huc Bridge that connects it to the shore. Built in the nineteenth century, the temple honors…

The Hanoi Opera House is recognizable by its vibrant yellow facade and the rows of Roman Ionic columns lining the exterior. Completed in nineteen eleven, the structure was built by the French colonial administration and modeled after the…