Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Ha Noi

Geographical position

The central sector of Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi covers area of 20ha, includes archaeological area at 18 Hoang Dieu Street and relics in Ha Noi Citadel such as: Bac Mon, Doan Mon, Hau Lau, stone dragons in Kinh Thien Palace, dragon house, house D67 and Ha Noi flag tower. These relics are surrounded by 4 streets: Phan Dinh Phung Street in the north, Dien Bien Phu Street in the south, Nguyen Tri Phuong Street in the east and Hoang Dieu Street in the west.

History

In 1009, Ly Cong Uan was enthroned, founded Ly Dynasty. In July, 1010, the king promulgated Chieu Doi Do (the royal decree) to change the capital city from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Dai La Citadel. After transferring the capital city, Ly Cong Uan had Citadel of Thang Long built and the citadel construction was finished in early 1011.

The ancient Citadel of Thang Long was encircled by three incorporated forts. The outer fort was Kinh Thanh (Imperial City), where the general public lived. Surrounded by the Hong, To Lich and Kim Nguu rivers, Kinh Thanh acted as a dyke system for the capital city. The second fort (the middle ring) was Hoang Thanh (Imperial Citadel), where the royal court, offices and residence of mandarins were located. The smallest and most inner enclosure was Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden City) where the king, queens and concubines lived in seclusion. The Citadel of Thang Long was repaired and had many new works in Tran Dynasty and expanded in Le So Dynasty. From 1516 to 1788 in dynasties of Mac and Le Trung Hung, the Citadel of Thang Long was destroyed many times. In early 1789, King Quang Trung transferred the capital city to Phu Xuan, the Citadel of Thang Long only acted as Bac Thanh (the northern defensive fortification). In Nguyen Dynasty, the remainders of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long were transferred to Phu Xuan for building new citadel. Only Kinh Thien Palace and Hau Lau were retained to be accommodations for Kings Nguyen during their business trips to the Bac Thanh. In 1805, King Gia Long ordered the demolition of walls surrounding the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and requested the building of a new, smaller citadel called Ha Noi Citadel with architectural style of Vauban (France). In 1831, King Minh Mang changed name of the Citadel of Thang Long to Ha Noi Province in a big administrative reform. When French colonists occupied all Indochina, they chose Ha Noi as the capital of French Indochina Union and the Ha Noi Citadel was destroyed to build military camp for French colonists. Since the Vietnamese army took the control of the capital city in 1954, the Ha Noi Citadel has become the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense.  The first value of the central sector of Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi shows that it is nearly a book displaying over 10 century- history of Thang Long – Ha Noi from Dai La Citadel in Pre-Thang Long period to nowadays.

Archaeological value

History revealed that Imperial Citadel of Thang Long changed a lot but its centre, especially Forbidden City, remained nearly unchanged. As architectural structures inside the Imperial Citadel were rebuilt and upgraded several times, this explained for the findings of layers of architectural vestiges and artefacts at archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu. These vestiges reflect clearly relation between urban project and architectural space as well as succession of dynasties in building the Citadel of Thang Long. This is the unique and prominent value of the central sector of Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi. Here, archaeologists excavated a great deal of porcelain and ceramic wares used in the Imperial Citadel through various stages of development. The findings paved the way for researchers to study ceramics made in Thang Long and ceramic wares used in the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long through different dynasties. It is also concrete evidence about high development level of economy and culture. In addition, porcelains and bronze coins of China, Japan, Western Asia… found here proved that Thang Long was centre of cultural exchange among countries in area and received quintessence values of humanity

At 20h30 on July 30, 2010 in Brasilia Capital of Brazil, World Heritage Committee of UNESCO recognized the central sector of Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi as world cultural heritage based on three prominent criterions: historical and cultural length; its continuousness as a power centre; diversification and plenty of vestiges and artifacts. In opening ceremony of the 1000^th anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi on October 1, 2010, Ms Irina Bokova – General Director of UNESCO gave certification of the central sector of Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi to leaders of Ha Noi City.

Hanoi Capital

Hanoi Capital (expansion)

Area: 3.324,92 sq. km
Population: 6,448,9 thousand habitants (April 2009).
Administrative divisions:
-10 urban districts: Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Long Bien, Hoang Mai, Ha Dong.
- 1 city: Son Tay
- 18 rural districts: Dong Anh, Soc Son, Thanh Tri, Tu Liem, Gia Lam (Hanoi); Ba Vi, Chuong My, Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc, My Duc, Phu Xuyen, Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Thanh Oai. Thuong Tin, Ung Hoa (former Ha Tay province) and Me Linh (a former district of Vinh Phuc province).
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Muong, Tay, Dao...
Hanoi is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the center of culture, politics, economy and trade of the whole country.

Geography
Hanoi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Vietnam. It is encompassed by Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc provinces to the north, Hoa Binh and Ha Nam to the south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces to the east, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho to the west.

Hanoi means "the hinterland between the rivers" (Ha: river, Noi: interior). Hanoi's territory is washed by the Red River (the portion of the Red River embracing Hanoi is approximately 40km long) and its tributaries, but there are some other rivers flowing through the capital, including Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Tich, To Lich and Kim Nguu.

Climate: Hanoi is situated in a tropical monsoon zone with two main seasons. During the dry season, which lasts from October to April, it is cold and there is very little rainfall, except from January to March, when the weather is still cold but there is some light rain. The wet season, from May to September, is hot with heavy rains and storms. The average annual temperature is 23.2oC (73.7oF) and the average annual rainfall is 1,800mm. The average temperature in winter is 17.2oC (62.9oF), but can go down to 8oC (46.4oF). The average temperature in summer is 29.2oC (84.6oF), but can reach up to 39oC (102.2oF).

History
Hanoi is a sacred land of Vietnam. In the 3rd century BC, Co Loa (actually belonging to Dong Anh District) was chosen as the capital of the Au Lac Nation of Thuc An Duong Vuong (the King Thuc). Hanoi later became the core of the resistance movements against the Northern invasions. Located in the middle of the Red River Delta, the town has gradually expanded to become a very populations and rich residential center. At different periods, Hanoi had been selected as the chief city of Vietnam under the Northern domination.In the autumn of Canh Tuat lunar years (1010), Ly Thai To, the founder of the Ly Dynasty, decided to transfer the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La, and so he rebaptized it Thang Long (Soaring Dragon). The year 1010 then became an historical date for Hanoi and for the whole country in general. For about a thousand years, the capital was called Thang Long, then changing to Dong Do, Dong Kinh, and finally to Hanoi, in 1831. This sacred piece of land thereafter continued to be the theatre of many fateful events.

Tourism
Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars and natural calamities, Hanoi still preserves many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas and temples. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1049), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070), Hanoi Citadel, Hanoi Opera House, President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...

Hanoi also characteristically contains 18 beautiful lakes such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach Lake..., which are the lungs of the city, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital source of energy.
Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced in Hanoi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Hanoi has many famous traditional professional handicraft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village, Ngu Xa bronze casting village, Yen Thai glossy silk...

Transportation
By road: Hanoi is 93km from Ninh Binh, 102km from Haiphong, 153km from Thanh Hoa, 151km from Halong, 474km from Dien Bien Phu, 658km from Hue, 763km from Danang, and 1,710km from Ho Chi Minh City.

By air: Noi Bai International Airport, over 35km from the city center, is one of the biggest airports of the country with various international and domestic routes. There are domestic flights from Hanoi to Danang, Dien Bien, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang and international flights to many countries in over the world.

By train: Hanoi Railway Station is Vietnam's main railway station. It is the starting point of five railway lines leading to almost every province in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

Fast Facts of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

  -   Address: 5 Pho Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  -   Phone Number- +84 4 942 1061
  -   Open Hours 8 am to 11am from Tuesday to Thursday and 8 am to 11 am from Saturday to Sunday.
  -   Closed in October or in November for maintenance of the body of H? Chí Minh

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is an important landmark of the city and stands integrated to the political and social history of Vietnam. Hanoi in Vietnam, which has a history dated back to 3000 years, even otherwise has several monuments, scenic beauty and reserves of history imprinted through the strife-torn colonial and political regimes. However, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum draws special emphasis because it testifies about Uncle Ho in Vietnam.

Yes, we are talking about the famous revolutionary and statesman of Vietnam, Ho Chí Minh, who is revered as the father of Viet Minh independence movement in 1941. This Vietnamese leader later founded the communist regime partially in Vietnam in 1950 and served as both the Prime Minister and President of North Vietnam. Known to the world as Bác Ho or Uncle Ho' meaning "he who enlightens," he also inspired the foundation of Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is located in 5 Pho Ngoc Ha and you will feel a wave of awe and mysticism hitting you when you watch the corpse preserved in the mausoleum.

After his death on September 2, 1969 at Hanoi from cardiac failure, Ho Chi Minh . was embalmed and put for view in this granite mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi was built on the basis of the model of Lenin's Tomb in Moscow. Though Ho Chi Minh wished that he be cremated after his death and his ashes buried on three hilltops spread in the three main regions of Vietnam, his body was embalmed following the tradition upheld by other Communist leaders across the world.

Features of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

  -   The structure in which the body is placed, is a gray cubicle surrounded by columns.
  -   On the top, there is a flat, square fresco engraved with the words "Chu Tich (President) Ho Chi Minh" written in red plum marble.
  -   The marble was brought from Marble Mountain outside Danang in Vietnam
  -   When the national holidays are celebrated in Vietnam, numerous people including the general secretary of the Communist Party, the prime minister and the president visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi and witness parades of ethnic minorities, tanks and soldiers.
  -   Before entering Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, you have to sign in at an office at No. 8 Hung Vuong Street, which is towards the south of the mausoleum.
  -   You can not take cameras, hats or bags and don't dress in shorts or tank tops while going inside
  -   You are expected to observe silence in the room containing the corpse.

Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi has emerged as a fascinating and unconventional tourist destination over the years. People, weary of visiting the clichéd and over crowded places, now prefer Hanoi as a charming city unique in its own beauty and culture. Hanoi with its distinctive French influence, has a lot to offer to its visitors. Visit the West Lake, Water Puppet Theater, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda and the Fine Arts Museum.

Hanoi Opera House rises magnificently at the end of the Trang Tien Street. Built by the French in 1911 and renovated in the late 1990s, the façade of the building is colonial French with pillars and balconies overlooking the city center. Various performances of art - local, international, traditional, modern are staged at this 900-seat opera house, professionally managed by a solid team of various experts with the Vietnamese symphonies playing quite regularly.

Features of Hanoi Opera House

  -   Hanoi Opera House is situated near the Red River and several hundreds meters east of Hoan Kiem Lake.
  -   Since its establishment, the Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in Vietnam. Its construction started in 1901 and was completed in 1911.
  -   Previously the site was a big pond, adjacent to the city gate of Tay Long of the ancient Thang Long capital.
  -   It is an old theatre with distinctive French architecture and typical Gothic and Mosaic characters evident on the door domes and the glassed room.
  -   Hanoi Opera House features the same architectural style as the Opera House in Paris.
  -   Some foreign architects are of the opinion that as it was built nearly 300 years after the Paris Opera House, Hanoi Opera House avoids superfluous architectural details which make it more elegant.
  -   For a long time, the Hanoi Opera House has been the most favorite haunting place for those who love theatrical performance, traditional songs, music, symphonies, opera and classical opera.
  -   In 1997, the theatre was renovated under the skillful management of two Vietnamese French architects, Ho Thieu Tri and Hoang Phuc Sinh.
  -   The original 3-storey architecture remains while the ornamental patterns on the ceiling, arches, walls and doors were renewed.
  -   The 3-meter-high stage and the audience's hall, with 600 seats, were also modernized keeping in mind international standards.
  -   The interior is designed in such a way to meet high requirements, artistically as well as technically to stage refined qualities of various arts like folk music and songs, ballets and piano to classical opera, reformed opera, Vietnamese operetta and drama.
  -   Hanoi Opera House has also successfully organized several large-scale international concerts with the latest being a program of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra playing the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven.

Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi

Hanoi has emerged as a fascinating and unconventional tourist destination over the years. People, weary of visiting the clichéd and over crowded places, now prefer Hanoi as a charming city unique in its own beauty and culture. Hanoi with its distinctive French influence, has a lot to offer to its visitors. Visit the West Lake, Water Puppet Theater, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda and the Fine Arts Museum.

Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi or the Temple of Literature is a historic site in Vietnam. It was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Vietnam's first university, the Quoc Tu Giam or National University was established within the temple in 1076 to educate the mandarin class. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779 during which a good number of 2,313 doctors graduated.

Features of Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi

  -   The Temple of Literature is Vietnam's historical seat of learning and became the site of the country's first university in 1076.
  -   The temple is based on Confucius' birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese province of Shandong.
  -   The temple consisted of a complex of small buildings and five walled courtyards and was an exclusive establishment teaching the precepts of Confucius.
  -   It is one of the few remaining buildings from the original city founded by Emperor Ly Thanth Tong in the 11th c and is a fine example of Vietnamese architecture.
  -   The entrance to the first courtyard via the impressive twin tiered Van Mieu gate, leads to three pathways that run through the length of the complex.
  -   The center path was reserved for the king. The path to its left was reserved for the administrative Mandarins and the one to its right, for military Mandarins.
  -   The first two courtyards exude an air of tranquility with ancient trees and well trimmed lawns.
  -   Entrance to the third courtyard is through the imposing Khue Van Cac, a large pavilion built in 1802.
  -   The Thienh Quang Tinh or the Well of Heavenly Clarity is at the center of the courtyard.
  -   There are two great halls to its both sides housing the real treasures of the temple.
  -   These are 82 stone stelas upon stone tortoises and are inscribed with names and birth places of the 1306 men who were awarded doctorates from the triennial examinations held here at the Quoc Tu Giam between 1484 and 1780.
  -   There were 34 more stone stelas which are believed to have been lost over the years,
  -   In 1484, Emperor Lê Thánh Tông started the tradition hi of printing the names of the laureates of the university on stone stelas which were placed on top of stone turtles.
  -   The fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once contained altars to the 72 of Confucius' greatest students.
  -   The pavilions now contain offices, a gift shop and a small museum which contains ink wells, pens, books and personal artifacts belonging to some of the students who have studied here through the years.
  -   At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples.
  -   The fifth courtyard contained the Quoc Tu Giam, Vietnam's first university founded in 1076 King Ly Can Duc.
  -   This was destroyed by French bombing in 1947.
  -   The complex has undergone a lot of restoration work, most recently in 1920 and again in 1954.
  -   But, it is still one of the few remaining examples of later Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) architecture.

Fare ceilings rise for domestic air services

Jetstar Pacific and Air Mekong raised their economy-class fare ceilings for domestic flights on the weekend, 10 days after a relevant Ministry of Finance decision came into force. The ministry’s Decision 916/QD-BTC, which was issued on April 22 and took effect on April 27, allows Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiary Vietnam Air Service Co. (Vasco), Jetstar Pacific and Air Mekong to charge VND863,636 (almost US$42) for one-way flights of less than 300 kilometers, VND1.1 million for the range of 300 and less than 500 kilometers and around just over VND1.48 million on 500 and below 850 kilometers. The new highest fares are about VND1.9 million for 850 kilometers to less than 1,000 kilometers, around VND2.227 million for 1,000-1,280 kilometers and VND2.727 million (some US$132.5) for single flights longer than 1,280 kilometers. These fares are exclusive of value-added tax (VAT), airport tax and surcharges. Given the new ceilings, Air Mekong can collect from each passenger up to VND2.727 million for a single flight between Hanoi and Phu Quoc off mainland Kien Giang, a longest domestic route that the start-up airline began to fly late last month. Jetstar Pacific said it would be able to charge a one-way fare up to VND2.227 million on the north-south route between Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports. However, this low-cost carrier will maintain its policy to offer different types of fare, with the ceiling accounting for a mere 10%. Air Mekong also takes the same action regarding its fare policy. Truong Thanh Vu of this airline told the Daily on the phone that passengers were able to choose a wide range of new fare categories that will be updated on its website, ticketing offices and agents in the coming days. Vietnam Airlines has not announced their new fare ceilings, though it and other local airlines sought approval to hike their domestic fares by at least over 20% and to gradually remove the price caps in the years to come as a measure to counter operating costs, caused by volatile world oil prices and the rise of Vietnam dong against the U.S. dollar. While the national flag carrier remains tightlipped, Jetstar Pacific and Air Mekong are drumming up their plans to expand domestic operations in central Vietnam. Jetstar Pacific said it would resume daily service between Hanoi and Nha Trang City from May 24, nine months after it suspended this route. Jetstar Pacific plans two daily flights between the capital city and the hot tourist destination in summer. Airtickets starting from VND1.025 million (some US$50) per flight on this route are now available on www.jetstar.com and its ticketing offices and agents. The Hanoi-Nha Trang route will help Jetstar Pacific make full use of its aircraft fleet as it had to call off its daily service between HCMC and Hue until June 13 this year as Phu Bai Airport will be closed from May 13 to have its only runway upgraded. From June 1, Air Mekong will begin its daily service between HCMC and Quy Nhon City in the central province of Binh Dinh as well as make its Hanoi-Phu Quoc service daily to cater to surging demand for air travel to these tourist destinations. Vu of Air Mekong said detailed fares for the new route would be known on May 15 and the carrier would manage to fly convenient times for both business and leisure travelers.

Vietnam travel guide

This Vietnam travel guide is the result of extensive travelling in Indochina by the authors. It provides useful information about all the major destinations based on our experiences in the region. As travel professionals in Europe we were well aware of the potential pitfalls of journeys to unknown lands so we were well prepared for our visit to Vietnam. This Vietnam guide is a summary of what we learned on our travels in this magnificent country which we hope will prove to be a useful resource in preparing your trip.

Don't Mention the War ?

The first thing that most people think of when they think of Vietnam is the Vietnam War (known here as the American War). Our first piece of advice is to forget the war.

Of course there are war memorials all over the country and reminders of a war that only ended in 1975 but to all intents and purposes the war is of no significance to modern day tourists except for US Veterans returning to visit places where they had been during the war. You'll find interesting war related excursions from certain cities such as to the Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) or to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) from Hue but the war is now a part of the country's past as it looks towards a wealthy future in which tourism will play a key role. The message from the Vietnamese people ... "Tourists Welcome".

Facts about Vietnam

A few interesting facts about Vietnam ... The population is 83 million and the capital is Hanoi. The Government is Communist but only 3 million people are members of the Communist Party. Economically the country is one of the "Asian Tigers" with annual growth rates around 8%. The distance between HCMC and Hanoi is 1700km. There are an estimated 10 million motor bikes on the roads and when you leave you'll feel as though you saw them all.

When to Visit Vietnam

Where and when to go to Vietnam is an important decision because of the climate which varies greatly between the monsoonal north and the tropical south. There is no month when it is ideal to visit both the north and the south though we were fortunate in November/December, experiencing warm, humid and mainly dry conditions in the south, wet and warm in the centre and dry but cool conditions in the north with rain not far away.

Getting Around Vietnam

When we first started to plan our trip we read various Vietnam travel guides and surfed the internet as we tried to come up with a suitable itinerary. In reality the itinerary almost writes itself and once you arrive you'll be amazed just how easy it is to get around by bus, train, private vehicles with driver and domestic flights. All means of transport are easily accessible, efficient and extremely good value. Dollars and Euros go a long way in Vietnam, for example you can buy an open bus ticket from HCMC to Hanoi (that's 1700km remember) for just $28 US with stopovers in Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hue. Transport and accommodation options are available to suit all budgets.

The route we followed on our last trip was as follows: Ho Chi Minh City - Dalat - Central Highlands - Hoi An - Hue - Hanoi. The majority of visitors don't go via the Central Highlands but tend to travel north or south via Nha Trang on the coast which is one of the country's lesser desirable destinations. Now it's up to you to start planning your itinerary. The map of Vietnam highlights the principal tourist destinations which together with our Vietnam Travel Guide will provide all the information you need to make the most of your journey.