This Hanoi walk takes us through the colonial architecture of the precinct known as the French Quarter. The Opera House, The Metropole Hotel, the Vietnam History Museum and other important architectural and historical landmarks are located here. And there are plenty of other interesting street scenes as well.
Use the map below to find your way. You can comfortably see the main buildings in 3.0 hours on foot.
Best to move at a leisurely pace, make an afternoon of it, check out the Vietnamese History Museum (allow at least an hour) and grab a drink at the historic Metropole Hotel too (they ain’t cheap).
Start - St Joseph’s Cathedral Hanoi Nha Tho St - 1886
The centre of the Catholic Church in Hanoi is a good place to start the walk. The protection of Vietnam’s small but often persecuted Catholic population provided one of the pretexts for French colonisation in the mid nineteenth century.
The church and colonisation are inseparable and the church has played an outsize role in Vietnam’s modern history. Check out the Neo-Gothic St Joseph’s Cathedral and the complex of Catholic church buildings that run alongside it towards the the old Archcbishop’s Residence - the building that sits in Hang Trong Park. It’s now a library - though we’ve never been allowed in to check out the books.
The French demolished a large pagoda to create these church structures.
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
Walk through Nam Huong Temple to Hoan Kiem Lake, the spiritual heart of Hanoi - steeped in legends of national struggle against foreign invaders.
The "restored sword" legend has it that Emperor Le Loi was empowered by a magical sword in his 15th century battle against Chinese invaders. After his victory, he returned the magical sword to a tortoise in the lake marking the return of sovereignty and peace in the kingdom.
The tortoise tower in the centre of the lake marks the event.
A legendary huge tortoise that lived in the lake for decades died in early 2016 prompting concern of a bad omen from the city’s superstitious folk.
Sofitel Metropole Hotel, Hanoi
Vietnam’s most beautiful colonial era hotel opened in 1901. It played witness to the upheaval of Hanoi’s twentieth century. If the budget won’t cover a stay, try and grab a drink here during your visit.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Metropole Hanoi
Government Guest House, Hanoi
The State Guest House was formerly the residence of the French colonial Governor of Tonkin. Tonkin was the name for the northern Vietnam region during colonial times. After the 1945 revolution, it became the office of Ho Chi Minh’s government prior to the return of the French.
I stayed in the less picturesque Soviet era concrete block at the back- part of the same complex - on my first visit to Hanoi in 1990.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Former residence of the Governor of Tonkin. Now the Government Guest House, Hanoi
State Bank of Vietnam, Hanoi
The old Bank of Indochina building is now the headquarters for the State Bank of Vietnam. Built in the 1930s, it brings together art deco, local design features, and a strong sense of authority - the stuff big banks like.
Photo: Mark Bowyer The old Bank of Indochina, Hanoi - now the State Bank
Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi
One of Hanoi’s best museums is also one its most interesting pieces of architecture. During French times it was the School of the Far East (École française d'Extrême-Orient EFEO) - a centre for the study of local archaeology, languages and society. It’s an outstanding example of the Indochine architectural style - fusing Asiatic and French architectural influences. The style flourished in the 1920s and 30s.
Opera House, Hanoi
Hanoi’s French colonial Opera House is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. Inaugurated in 1911, it’s modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris. It continues to be a centre of performance in the city. Catch a show here if you can.
University of Science and Pasteur Institute
Continue along Le Thanh Tong St past the Science University, through a park dedicated to Louis Pasteur, wrapping up at the old Pasteur Institute. These buildings are two of our favourites. Like the Vietnamese History Museum, they are the work of French planner and architect Ernest Hebrard. Hebrard was one of the great architects of Indochina. He created buildings and influenced city planning in Hanoi, Dalat, Saigon and Phnom Penh.
For more on the work of Hebrard, check this blog piece.
The gallery below is a general portrait of Hanoi’s incredible architectural heritage.
Hanoi's architectural heritage - a travel guide in photos
By Mark Bowyer / Last updated 20 Aug 2014
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The former Australian Embassy in Hanoi - now the Ambassador's Residence. This was the first French colonial era building to leave an impression on me on my first visit to Hanoi in June 1990. see moresee less
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Former Australian Embassy, Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi see moresee less
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Hanoi's French colonial heritage marks it out as one of the most architecturally interesting cities in South East Asia. As the former political centre of French Indochina, it is home to the most impressive range of colonial buildings from grand government edifices to quaint villas. This is the former residence of the Resident Superior of Tonkin. Built in 1918, Ho Chi Minh used it as his office after his declaration of independence from France in 1945, until war with France forced him out in 1946. It is now part of the Government Guest House complex and is located in central Hanoi across the road from the Metropole Hotel. I stayed in the unsightly Russian building behind this one on my first visit to Hanoi. see moresee less
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Hanoi's Opera House is one of the most famous of the city's colonial era buildings. In the 60 years since the French were unceremoniously sent packing, these buildings have become part of a Vietnamese city fabric. The Opera House was built at the beginning of the twentieth century when harsh taxation, forced labour as well as opium and alcohol monopolies funded a major investment in public buildings and infrastructure. It's modelled on Garnier's opera house in Paris. Try and catch a show while you're in Hanoi. At minimum, grab a late afternoon drink in the garden bar outside. see moresee less
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One of the most influential architects in Hanoi and Indochina was Ernest Hebrard. Hebrard arrived in Hanoi in the early 1920s. Instead of reproducing buildings purely European in style, he added local design features and also took the colony's weather conditions into account. He pioneered what is known as the "Indochine" architectural style and was behind many of Hanoi's most striking buildings as well as buildings throughout the colony. This was the Louis Finot Museum and is now the Vietnamese History Museum - arguably the city's most important museum. see moresee less
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Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square was annointed by the French as the centre of colonial government in Indochina. This buiding was the colonial Ministry of Finance and was also an Ernest Hebrard creation. It carries his trademark elements - mixing Eurpopean and local styles. The building is now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. see moresee less
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Hanoi's Pasteur Institute, also by Hebrard. see moresee less
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Hanoi University (1926), is another Hebrard building. see moresee less
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Cua Bac Church saw Hebrard abandon the Gothic style in favour of something more contemporary according to William Logan in his book "Hanoi: Biography of a city". see moresee less
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The city's architectural magic isn't confined to its large buildings. There are hundreds of wonderful structures from villas to these tube houses. This one is in the famed Old Quarter of 36 streets. see moresee less
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Hanoi's Old Quarter. Take a look above the awnings if you can - without getting collected by a passing motorbike. see moresee less
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Typical Old Quarter corner. see moresee less
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Intricate decorative work - Old Quarter, Hanoi see moresee less
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The original buildings of Hanoi's Old Quarter are increasingly being demolished to make way for tourist hotels. The tourists stay in the Old Quarter to experience, among other things, its historic architecture - in hotels that destroy the architectural fabric. see moresee less
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While tourist hotel development is causing the demolition of many historic Hanoi buildings, tourist restaurants are in many cases giving colonial architecture a new lease of life. This is Green Tangerine Restaurant. see moresee less
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Madam Hien restaurant has turned an especially impressive villa into a popuiar tourist restaurant. see moresee less
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Madam Hien restaurant, Hanoi see moresee less
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Luc Thuy Restaurant and Cafe is right by Hoan Kiem Lake. see moresee less
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Not far from the bustle of the Old Quarter is the vast expanse of Ba Dinh Sqaure. Ho Chi Minh chose the square, the centre of colonial power, for his declaration of independence from French rule on September 2 1945. The declaration was made in the space immediately in front of the mausoleum. see moresee less
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Ho Chi Minh requested to be cremated on his death. Instead, when he passed away in 1969, he was embalmed and placed in this Soviet style edifice. Public viewings continue today. Like many buildings in Vietnam, the mausoleum implausibly proposes to have been inspired by the lotus flower. see moresee less
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Vienam's wartime White House - Uncle Ho's simple house on stilts is located right behind his mauoleum. It's a delightful place and seems a better fit for popular representations of Ho than the stony, cold structure in which he now lies. see moresee less
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Ho Chi Minh's workspace. The building was inspired in part by the montagnard houses of Vietnam's far north. Ho Chi Minh lived here from 1958. see moresee less
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And next door to Ho's wooden house and mausoleum is the former French Governor's mansion - now the Presidential Palace. Ho refused to live here after becoming president. His asceticism seems not to have been passed on to the current generation of national leaders. see moresee less
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Presidential Palace, Hanoi built in 1907 as the French Governor's Residence. see moresee less
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Headquarters of the Communist Party of Vietnam, overlooking Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi see moresee less
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Another major landmark close by Ba Dinh Square is Hanoi Citadel. The citadel area has been a centre of military power for centuries. This 1812 tower in the citadel grounds, known simply as the Flag Tower, was built by the Nguyen Dynasty when Vietnam's capital was in Hue. The French destroyed many Vietnamese buildings in Hanoi. The Flag Tower was spared and is now a symbol of the city. see moresee less
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Hanoi Citadel is the city's newest World Heriatge site and has only been open to the public for a few years. Despite its historical significance, many travellers still miss it. see moresee less
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What this structure lacks in architectural value, it more than compensates with historic significance. It was from this building in the citadel grounds that North Vietnam's victorious miltary campaign againt the US-backed South Vietnamese state was led. see moresee less
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Between the citadel and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum overlooking Ba Dinh Square, is the Martyr's Monument - dedicated to soldiers whose lives were lost in Vietnam's wars. see moresee less
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One Pillar Pagoda is one of Vietnam's most famous pagodas and dates back to the 11th centiury, soon after the founding of Hanoi. It's been rebuilt many times including after it was destroyed by vanquished, departing French colonial troops in 1954. see moresee less
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The Metropole Hotel is another of the city's most celebrated colonial buildings and is also its most impressive hotel. see moresee less
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The Metropole Hotel, one of the landmark buildings of an area known as Hanoi's French Quarter - not to be confused with the Old Quarter. see moresee less
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The Catholic church has been a big player, both good and bad, in Vietnam's history. St Joseph's Cathedral is at the centre of the church's impressive and at times controversial downtown land holdings. Built in 1886, the cathedral is among the older major colonial era buildings still standing in the capital. see moresee less
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St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi see moresee less
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The interior of St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi see moresee less
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The church grounds around St Joseph's Cathedral. see moresee less
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The former Archbishop's Residence right by St Joseph's Cathedral. This building has been government hands since communist forces defeated the French in 1954. Plans to demolish it in 2008 for development saw rare protests by Hanoi's Catholic community. The compromise was the creation of a library. It's not a very public library however. None of my many attempts to enter have succeeded. I've been told I must obtain official permission. see moresee less
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The streets around St Joseph's Cathedral are home to some of Hanoi's most popular boutiques and restaurants. The windows and decorations indicate a former ecclesiatical function. see moresee less
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Boutiques around St Joseph's Cathedral. see moresee less
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Ba Da Pagoda, Hanoi see moresee less
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Ba Da Pagoda, right by St Joseph's Cathedral is one of Hanoi's oldest and most cherished. This shot was taken in 2009. Since then a very heavy handed renovation has robbed the structure (the original pagoda was built in the 15th century) of much of its atmosphere and character. see moresee less
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Long Bien Bridge is another Hanoi icon. It was built at the height of the French colonial period. With a span of 1.7kms across the Red River, it was, at the time, one of Asia's most impressive bridges and an important engineering achievement. The bridge connected Hanoi with the port of Haiphong and the north of the country. It was a strategic target for American bombers during the Vietnam War and it still carries the scars. see moresee less
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Long BIen Bridge, Hanoi. It was known as Paul Doumer Bridge after the early twentieth century Governor General of Indochina, who went on to become French President. He was assassinated in 1932. see moresee less
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Typical colonial era tube houses in Hanoi's Old Quarter. see moresee less
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Hanoi's Hoa Lo prison gained notoriety in the West during the Vietnam War as the "Hanoi Hilton". US Senator John McCain was among those held here after being shot down over Hanoi. For the Vietnamese, the prison's infamy dates back to its creation by the French. Many of the country's most celebrated nationalist leaders suffered brutal incarceration here. Hanoi Hilton was closed in the early 1990s to make way for an apartment development. One wing of the complex was preserved as a museum. see moresee less
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Hanoi Hilton was logically located right by the main courthouse. The prison is no longer in use however the courthouse is still functioning. see moresee less
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This Soviet style building, the offices of Hanoi People's Committee, is a perfect monument to the terrible years of hardline communism that Hanoi suffered in the immeidate post-war period (post 1975). It has pride of place at Hoan Kiem Lake.. see moresee less
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Directly opposite the People's Committee building is this gate at Hoan Kiem Lake. It's the only remnant of Bao An pagoda, a once grand Buddhist complex that was demolished, along with many other notable local buildings, by the French see moresee less
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Tet flowers at Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. see moresee less
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Ngoc Son Temple looks over Hoan Kiem Lake in central Hanoi. see moresee less
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This government building by Hoan Kiem lake exhibits the shift to deco style colonial architecture. The image of Uncle Ho with child looks over one the city's main intersections. see moresee less
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The imposing Bank of Indochina building (1930) in the French Quarter marked the arrival of modernism in Hanoi. It is now the State Bank of Vietnam. see moresee less
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Tree lined Phan Dinh Phung St, is one of the Hanoi's most beautiful. The structure in the shot is the Northern Gate to the citadel which is closed. It bares the scars of an 1873 French attack. see moresee less
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Phan Dinh Phung is home to some of Hanoi's most impressive villas. see moresee less
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Unlike the Old Quarter. walking along Phan Dinh Phung St is easy and pleasant. The villas are mainly occupied by senior government officials. see moresee less
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Distinctive building, Phan Dinh Phung St, Hanoi see moresee less
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Hanoi was once home to a large ethnic Chinese community. At the end of the 1970s when relations between Vietnam and China descended into war, Hanoi's Chinese community formed part of an exodus, estimated at around 200,000, from across Vietnam. Hanoi no longer has a discernible Chinatown. This former Chinese hotel has seen better days. see moresee less
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Hanoi's major architectural landmarks mostly survived US bombing without incurring damage. Hanoi Railway Station was less fortunate. When US bombers struck the main section of the building in December 1972, 283 people were killed. The damaged section was replaced with a Soviet-style structure. see moresee less
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Confederation of Labour building in the French Quarter is looking a tad shabby. see moresee less
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Art Deco made a big impact on Hanoi. This former French clinic is now a police hospital. see moresee less
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Cuban designed Thang Loi Hotel is for those that like their hotels quirky. It's an interesting piece of modern architecture on West Lake. During the Cold War it was Hanoi's most luxurious hotel. It's not a bad spot for a swim on a hot Hanoi summer afternoon as well. see moresee less
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The Temple of Literature dates back to 1070 and is one of the most important remaining pieces of Viettnamese architecture. Vietnam's first university is a haven of tranquility in a sea of traffic chaos beyond its walls. see moresee less
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Hanoi's West Lake area , a few hundred metres from Ba Dinh Square, is home to some of Hanoi's most important Buddhist Pagodas. It's another pleasant area for walking. This is the 11th century Quan Thanh Pagoda. see moresee less
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Dating back to the 6th century AD, Tran Quoc Pagoda, looks over West Lake. It's Hanoi's oldest pagoda. see moresee less
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This is one of the first major Hanoi buildings to go up after the country opened its doors to foreign investors in the early 90s. On a prime piece of real estate right by Hoan Kiem Lake, it didn't set a happy architectural precedent. see moresee less
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Probably the most flamboyant piece of modern architecure in Hanoi. Designed by German architects GMP. It's certainly a landmark creation. Unfortunately, the sense is that more effort went into the inverted pyramid building than into curating a compelling museum collection to tell the story of the city. It's a long way from downtown Hanoi too so this is one for the very committed. see moresee less
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