Old Quarter in Hanoi, VietNam
The Old Quarter is the name commonly given to that part of Hanoi that has been in existence since imperial times and which used to be located outside
the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
This quarter used to be a residential, manufacturing, and commercial center, where each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing
or commerce.
Nowadays, the quarter is an attraction for people interested in the history of Hanoi.
If you ask a local people “What is the spiritual symbol of Hanoi?”, the answer will definitely be the Old Quarter.
The Old Quarter is a place where you can find the fusion of the past and the modern life as well as the history and culture of Vietnam’s capital.
There is no limitation on things to do in Hanoi.
Therefore, if you are making a plan to go to Hanoi, why wouldn’t you plan a trip to this symbolic place?
Now we will help you discover the 15 things you need to know about Hanoi Old Quarter.
History of Hanoi Old Quarter
The first chapter of Hanoi’s Old Quarter history was started in the 11th century when the King Ly Thai To decided to move the capital from Hoa Lu
(Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (Hanoi).
After this historical decision, many craftsmen gathered around the royal palace in order to sell their product.
It lead to the establishment of the specialized villages of various types of product.
In these villages, the skillful craftsmen with the same skills could cooperate conveniently and also made it easier to transport their products to
different places.
Hanoi’s Old Quarter development reached its peak under French colonial rule.
Where to go in Hanoi Old Quarter
There are many places in Hanoi Old Quarter that you should not miss.
Because of that, we have to suggest the list of things you need to know about Hanoi Old Quarter
1.
O Quan Chuong gate:
If you want to see the last relic of Thang Long citadel, O Quang Chuong is your destination.
It was built 10th year of Canh Hung dynasty (1749).
After a long time known as the Dong Ha gate, O Quang Chuong changed its name to dedicate the merit of an official in Nguyen Dynasty named Chuong Co
who fought against colony till his death in 1873.
The architectural style of this relic is the featured style of Nguyen Dynasty so you can explore the architecture of over three hundred years ago.
2.
Hoan Kiem Lake
This lake is named after a historical myth.
The myth says that Le Loi accidentally found a sword with the word “Thuan Thien” (Harmonious with Heaven).
Thanks to this sword, he won the war with the neighboring country so he thought that this sword must have been a present from heaven.
After the war, Le Loi became the King.
One day, when the King was on his trip to Thuy Quan Lake, a tortoise raised above the water and shouted:
“The King please return the sword to Dragon Lord”.
After this, the King changed Thuy Quan Lake’s name to Hoan Kiem (returning the sword) Lake.
3.
Ngoc Son Temple
This temple was built in the early 19th century in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake.
This temple is dedicated to scholar Van Xuong De Quan and General Tran Hung Dao.
In 1985, the Confucian Nguyen Van Sieu was responsible for renovating this temple.
Then he built Thap But (Pen Tower), Dai Nghien (inkstand) and The Huc (where the rays of morning sunshine touch) Bridge.
4.
Ancient house 87 Ma May street:
This is an ancient house that was built in the early 19th century.
It is one of the 14 oldest houses in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
The architecture of the house is the old pipe-shaped which you can meet in many houses in the past.
Fortunately, the architecture of the house is still preserved after many ups and downs of history.
When you visit this house, you can explore the architecture of the past.
Through this, you can imagine the daily life of the people who once lived in the Old Quarter.
There are various old items of furniture kept until now in this ancient house.
5.
Bach Ma Temple
Located on 86 Hang Buom street, Bach Ma temple is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Hanoi.
It is one of the four defenses of the ancient capital responsible for protecting the east of the citadel.
This temple was built dedicated to Long Do – the ancient god of Thang Long.
When King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long, he could not build the citadel.
The King prayed in this temple and then he saw a white horse coming out from the temple.
The King followed the horse to draw the map of the citadel and built it successfully.
In order to remind people the merits of the horse, he dedicated the temple to that very white horse.
The temple is quite small but still attracts many tourists as well as local people to go there for worship.
Many of the historic remnants of the Old Quarter have deteriorated and are in need of restoration.
For the 1000th anniversary of N?i in 2010, the Hanoi People's Committee decided to spend 50 billion VND on the refurbishing of 75 streets inside and
outside the Old Quarter, among others for applying lime to restore the yellow color of façades in the Old Quarter.
The process has been criticised for having been executed carelessly, leading to a less than optimal result.
Vietnamese painter Bùi Xuân Phái has created many paintings of the Old Quarter, pioneering a particular school of Vietnamese painting.
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