Hanoi factfile: 10 Interesting Facts about the capital of Vietnam that you didn’t know

Fact 1

Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam, is a rich cultural city with a history that dates back at least 1000 years although it had inhabitants long before that. In 1010 Ly Thai To King had recognized Hanoi as the capital of Vietnam, a status which has remained till today. The city was originally renamed ‘Thang Long’  with literally meaning as ‘soaring dragon’, because he claimed to have seen a dragon over the Red River.

Fact 2

Hanoi – literally means ” city inside rivers” as it is built on the bank of Red River, Hanoi still maintains trace of twenty lakes and rivers which now circle and enhance the city. Famous lakes include: Ho Guom (Sword Lake), Ho Tay (West Lake), Ho Thien Quang (Halair/Halais Lake), Truc Bach Lake, Bay Mau Lake (Seven Hectare Lake), Thu Le Lake (in the Thu Le Zoo). Hence sometimes people refer to Hanoi as the “City of  Lakes”. The lakes and waterways combined with the pervasive French architecture give the city an almost European feeling. 

Fact 3

Visiting Hanoi Old Quarter aka Hanoi’s 36 Streets  is a prerequisite to any other activities. Situated adjacent to Hoan Kiem Lake the narrow alleyways and streets, still named, in many instances, after the artisan or merchants who lived and worked in them, are busy, bustling places reflecting the original layout and architecture of yesteryear.

In fact,  there are more than 70 streets in the area still commonly referred to as 36 Streets.The area around the Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of Hanoi has always been home to the powerful. For almost two thousand years, artisans and traders from villages around the region have sold their goods here.  The streets were named for what they sold. 

Hàng Bạc is where silversmiths once poured ingots for the kings. Today, it’s filled with jewellery shops, money exchanges and backpacker hostels. Hàng Đào’s name refers to the pink flowers littering the ground during Lunar New Year, or Tết. It was a popular colour for the silks that made the street famous. Now, it’s lined with modern clothing shops. Hàng Quạt got its name from handheld fans, popular in the days before electricity and air conditioning. 

Fact 4

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, originally Hôtel Metropole is a five-star historic luxury hotel opened in 1901 in the French colonial style. It is located at 15 Ngo Quyen Street in Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi, Vietnam. The hotel has a rich history and a century long tradition of welcoming ambassadors, writers, heads of state and entertainers including Charlie Chaplin, Jane Fonda, George H. W. Bush, François Mitterrand, Isabelle de Valvert, Jacques Chirac, etc. The hotel has 364 rooms.

Fact 7

Night life in Hanoi is divided into two categories. One is for those who like to explore the night market and the delicious Vietnamese food that are abundant at these places. Another is for those who prefer to chill out a local bar or club for some local nightlife experience.

Fact 8

The Temple of Literature  is a Temple of Confucius in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. A trip to Hanoi would not be complete without visiting this temple. This is the oldest university in Vietnam (1070) where you can see many stelae (turtle stones) carved with “doctorate” degree holders’ name and their hometown. 

The temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese Dong banknote. 

Fact 9

Tran Vu Pagoda in West Lake is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi (from 12nd century) which houses a big black copper statue made in 1667, weighing around 4 tons.

Fact 10: 
The Long Bien Bridge, which connects Hoan Kiem and Long Bien of Hanoi, was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower. There are also families of homeless who live under the bridge, since its surrounding area is one of the poorest areas of Hanoi.