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Hanoi · History

A thousand years of Thăng Long: from mandarin academy to Ba Đình

Hanoi was once Thăng Long, the "city of the ascending dragon", capital of dynasty after dynasty for almost a thousand years. This route takes in what survives of that city of mandarins and emperors: the country's first university, the gates of a citadel the French almost wiped out, and the square where Hồ Chí Minh declared independence in 1945. All on a flat, leafy walk west of the centre.

  • 6 stops
  • 3.2 km
  • 2 h 5 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Đoan Môn Gate of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, with five arches and a yellow pavilion

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu)The temple to Confucius that housed Vietnam's first university for seven centuries.
  2. 2 Flag Tower of Hanoi (Cột cờ Hà Nội)The brick lookout that survived when the French tore down the citadel.
  3. 3 Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long: Đoan Môn GateThe south gate through which emperors entered the heart of a thousand years of power.
  4. 4 North Gate (Cửa Bắc)The only citadel gate still standing bears the wounds of the French attack of 1882.
  5. 5 Ba Đình Square and Hồ Chí Minh MausoleumThe square where independence was declared in 1945, and the mausoleum its protagonist never wanted.
  6. 6 One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột)A tiny shrine on a single pillar, born of an imperial dream and rebuilt after being blown up.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

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What you’ll discover

A thousand years of Thăng Long: from mandarin academy to Ba Đình

Vietnam's first university

Steles on stone turtles bearing the names of 1,307 doctors who passed the exams between 1442 and 1779.

Scars of conquest

The marks of two French shells from 1882, still visible on the North Gate.

From empire to republic

From the World Heritage citadel to Ba Đình Square and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Keep exploring

More routes in Hanoi

Back to Hanoi
Mysteries & legendsSacred turtles, a magic sword and jailbreaks: legendary Hanoi MixedFrom the iron bridge to the Opera: Hanoi highlights

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Hanoi?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Hanoi in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Hanoi in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Hanoi in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary