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Hanoi · Mysteries & legends

Sacred turtles, a magic sword and jailbreaks: legendary Hanoi

Hanoi is full of stories told in hushed voices: the turtle that took back the emperor's sword, the white horse that showed where to build the walls, the coffins someone supposedly buried beneath a tower in the middle of the lake. On this route, designed for late afternoon, we separate what the records say from what tradition tells, from the old Hỏa Lò prison to the last gate of the Old Quarter.

  • 6 stops
  • 2.2 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The Turtle Tower on its islet in Hoàn Kiếm Lake

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Hỏa Lò Prison (Maison Centrale)The colonial jail American pilots called the "Hanoi Hilton", from which a hundred prisoners escaped through the sewers.
  2. 2 St Joseph's Cathedral (Nhà thờ Lớn)A neo-Gothic cathedral built on the site of a pagoda whose twelve-storey tower vanished without trace.
  3. 3 Turtle Tower (Tháp Rùa)In the middle of the Lake of the Returned Sword, a tower full of rumours: vanished coffins and a Statue of Liberty.
  4. 4 Ngọc Sơn Temple and the lake turtleThe Temple of the Jade Mountain keeps the body of a giant turtle from the lake, a creature caught between science and myth.
  5. 5 White Horse Temple (Đền Bạch Mã)The Old Quarter's oldest temple keeps the legend of the horse that showed the emperor where to build the walls.
  6. 6 Ô Quan Chưởng GateThe last gate of the old city wall, and the mystery of an officer said to have died defending it.

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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

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Sacred turtles, a magic sword and jailbreaks: legendary Hanoi

The sword in the lake

The legend of Lê Lợi and the golden turtle, and the true story of the giant turtles of Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

What you can no longer see

An 11th-century tower beneath the cathedral and a Statue of Liberty that once stood on the lake.

Records and tradition

Every story separates what is proven from what is only told.

Keep exploring

More routes in Hanoi

Back to Hanoi
HistoryA thousand years of Thăng Long: from mandarin academy to Ba Đình 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