Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. From 1010 until 1802, it was the political center of an independent Vietnam with a few brief interruptions. It was eclipsed by Hu? during the Nguyen Dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but served as the capital of French Indochina from 1887 to 1945. From 1945 to 1976, it was the capital of North Vietnam.
The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is located at 21°2' North, 105°51' East, 1760 km (1094 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).
History
The area around modern Hanoi has been inhabited since at least 3000 BC. One of the first known permanent settlements is the Co Loa citadel founded around 200 BC.
Through history, Hanoi was known by many names, all of its name are chinese origin. During Chinese domination of Vietnam, it was known as T?ng B́nh and later Long Đ?. In 866, it was turned into a citadel and was named Đ?i La.
In 1010, Lư Thái T?, the first ruler of the Lư Dynasty, moved the capital of Đ?i Vi?t the Great Viet, then the name of Vietnam) to the site of the Đ?i La Citadel. Claiming to have seen a dragon ascending the Red River, he renamed it Thang Long - a name still used poetically to this day. It remained the capital of Vietnam until 1397, when the capital was moved to Thanh Hóa, also known as Tây Đô (Western Capital). Thang Long then became Đông Đô.
In 1408, Vietnam was invaded by Chinese troops from the Ming Dynasty and Đông Đô was renamed Đông Quan by the Chinese. In 1428, Vietnam was liberated from Chinese rule by Lê L?i, the founder of the Le Dynasty and Đông Quan was renamed Đông Kinh (Eastern Capital - the name known to Europeans as Tonkin; and evidently, the same characters used for Tokyo). During the Tây Son Dynasty, it was named B?c Thành (??, Northern Citadel).
In 1802, when the Nguyn Dynasty was established and then moved the capital down to present-day Hu?, it was renamed Thang Long (means "flying dragon"). However, the second syllable of the toponym is actually a homonym of the word long, and so, actually suggests "to flourish" as opposed to "dragon".
Hanoi was occupied by the French in 1873 and passed to them ten years later. It became the capital of French Indochina after 1887.
The city was occupied by the Japanese in 1940, and liberated in 1945, when it became the seat of Vietnam's government. From 1946 to 1954, it was the scene of heavy fighting between the French and Viet Minh forces. At that point, the city became the capital of an independent North Vietnam.
During the Vietnam War Hanoi's transportation facilities were disrupted by the bombing of bridges and railways, which were, however, promptly repaired. Following the end of the war, Hanoi became the capital of Vietnam when North and South Vietnam were reunited on July 2, 1976.
In 2004, a massive part of the 900 years old citadel was discovered in central Hanoi, near the site of Ba Dinh square.
Climate
Hanoi experiences the typical climate of northern Vietnam, where summers are hot and humid, and winters are relatively cool and dry. The summer months from May to September receive the majority of rainfall in the year (1,682 mm rainfall/ year). The winter months from November to March are relatively dry, although spring then often brings light rains. The minimum winter temperature in Hanoi can dip as low as 6-7°C (43°F), while summer can get as hot as 38-40 (100-104°F).
Central heating is not common in Hanoi, and wind chills may make one feel rather cold in winter.
Places of interest
Ba Dinh squareAs the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered to be the cultural center of Vietnam, where every dynasty has left behind their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike.
Hanoi opera houseSome of the prominent places are: The Temple of Literature, site of the oldest university in Vietnam; One Pillar Pagoda; Flag Tower of Hanoi; The Old Quarter and Hoàn Kim lake.
Hanoi is also home to a number of museums, including the Vietnamese National History Museum, the National Museum of Ethnology, the National Museum of Fine Arts and the Revolution Museum .
The Temple of Literature , main entryThe Old Quarter, near the scenic Hoan Kiem lake, has the original street layout and architecture of the old Hanoi. At the beginning of 20th century, the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then comprised of merchants and households specialized in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewellery, etc.
The street names nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce. The area is in general famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops. Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can be found here also. A night market (near Đ?ng Xuân market) in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with a variety of clothing, souvenirs, and food.
West Lake is a popular place for people to hang out. It is the largest lake in Hanoi, and there are many temples to visit in the area. There are small boats for hire, and a floating restaurant which has been operating for a couple of decades.
The spectacular Ban Gioc Waterfall is 272 km north of Hanoi and few tourists are seen there
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