Hanoi in Vietnam originally grew up around Hoàn Ki?m Lake. With a history dated back to 3000 years, Hanoi, the capital of a united Vietnam, will impress you with its monuments, scenic beauty and reserves of history imprinted through the strife-torn colonial and political regimes. As you visit Hanoi, you must not miss out the Presidential Palace in Hanoi.
Presidential Palace in Hanoi is a three- storey structure located on the north of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Presidential Palace stands as a memento of French contribution to the architectural splendor in Indochina. This mustard-yellow palace was built from 1900 to 1906 to function as the living and operational bases of the governors-general of Indo-China. Located on Hung Vuong Street and Hoang Van Thu Street, the designs of this palace were conceived by Auguste Henri Vildieu, the French architect officially appointed for Vietnam.
History says that Ho Chi Minh denied staying in Presidential Palace in Hanoi when he returned to independent Vietnam after defeating the French in 1954. He rather began staying in a mere cottage within the premises of the palace from 1954 to 1958. Thereafter, he built a Vietnamese house made of stilt but he continued to use the palace when important guests came to Hanoi. The tradition continues even now as the palace offers site for official receptions to guests and for other administrative meetings.
Features of Presidential Palace in Hanoi
- You won't be allowed to enter the palace but you can go around it for a look from outside.
- The building is enclosed by gardens and orchard and the famous Mango Alley, which being 300 feet long boulevard, leads from the palace to the stilt house where Ho Chi Minh stayed.
- Displaying the French architectural style, the palace has a conical structure.
- There are gates of wrought iron with sentry boxes at the entry of the palace.
- You will find parts of Italian Renaissance design used in 16th and 17th centuries in the structure of the building like the second floor with a stairway ending in the arched portal, broken gables, intricate columns and aedicules.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, spreads over 2,000 square kilometers, but most important sites lie in compact areas. Touring the major landmarks of Hanoi can be interesting. You can also try a trip around West Lake that takes in the rural suburbs. Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi is such a place where you can visit during your tour to Hanoi.
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in China, Japan, Korea, Nepal and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function. The modern pagoda is an evolution of the Indian stupa, a tomb-like structure where sacred relics could be kept safe and venerated.
The most exciting fact about the pagoda is that the earliest example in the Oxford English Dictionary of the use of the word pagoda in English is from 1634. Pagoda - comes from Sanskrit "dhatu garba". Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi is one such piece of architecture.
Fast Facts about Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi
Island in West Lake, Hanoi
Contact no. of Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi: no phone
Open Hours at Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi: 11a.m.-11:30a.m. and 1:30p.m.-6p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7a.m.-6p.m. Sunday and holidays.
Features of Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi
Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi is the oldest pagoda constructed in the sixth century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De. Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi was supposedly founded 1,400 years ago by King Ly Nam De with the name Khai Quoc (National Founder). At first it was built outside the Yen Phu Dyke and the move to West Lake. Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi was then named Khai Quoc, meaning "founding the country." It has been named An Quoc, Tran Quoc and Tran Bac. With architecture harmonious with nature, the pagoda complements the beautiful scenery around the lake. One of the present statues inside Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi was fashioned in 1639.
The features of Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi include:
- A bodhi tree is situated in the gardens of the Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi. It was taken from a cutting of the original tree, under which Buddha sat and achieved enlightenment.
- The island and pagoda provide a beautiful backdrop, particularly when viewed at sunset.
- Visitors must be decently attired and long trousers are required for men.
The existing building of Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi originated from the last repair work done in 1815, including the triple gate, the main pagoda, the sitting room, the ancestral worshipping chamber the garden tower.
Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam
Hanoi has emerged as a fascinating and unconventional tourist destination over the years. People, weary of visiting the clichéd and over crowded places, now prefer Hanoi as a charming city unique in its own beauty and culture. Hanoi with its distinctive French influence, has a lot to offer to its visitors. Visit the West Lake, Water Puppet Theater, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda and the Fine Arts Museum.
Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi or the Temple of Literature is a historic site in Vietnam. It was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Vietnam's first university, the Quoc Tu Giam or National University was established within the temple in 1076 to educate the mandarin class. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779 during which a good number of 2,313 doctors graduated.
Features of Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi
- The Temple of Literature is Vietnam's historical seat of learning and became the site of the country's first university in 1076.
- The temple is based on Confucius' birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese province of Shandong.
- The temple consisted of a complex of small buildings and five walled courtyards and was an exclusive establishment teaching the precepts of Confucius.
- It is one of the few remaining buildings from the original city founded by Emperor Ly Thanth Tong in the 11th c and is a fine example of Vietnamese architecture.
- The entrance to the first courtyard via the impressive twin tiered Van Mieu gate, leads to three pathways that run through the length of the complex.
- The center path was reserved for the king. The path to its left was reserved for the administrative Mandarins and the one to its right, for military Mandarins.
- The first two courtyards exude an air of tranquility with ancient trees and well trimmed lawns.
- Entrance to the third courtyard is through the imposing Khue Van Cac, a large pavilion built in 1802.
- The Thienh Quang Tinh or the Well of Heavenly Clarity is at the center of the courtyard.
- There are two great halls to its both sides housing the real treasures of the temple.
- These are 82 stone stelas upon stone tortoises and are inscribed with names and birth places of the 1306 men who were awarded doctorates from the triennial examinations held here at the Quoc Tu Giam between 1484 and 1780.
- There were 34 more stone stelas which are believed to have been lost over the years,
- In 1484, Emperor Lê Thánh Tông started the tradition hi of printing the names of the laureates of the university on stone stelas which were placed on top of stone turtles.
- The fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once contained altars to the 72 of Confucius' greatest students.
- The pavilions now contain offices, a gift shop and a small museum which contains ink wells, pens, books and personal artifacts belonging to some of the students who have studied here through the years.
- At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples.
- The fifth courtyard contained the Quoc Tu Giam, Vietnam's first university founded in 1076 King Ly Can Duc.
- This was destroyed by French bombing in 1947.
- The complex has undergone a lot of restoration work, most recently in 1920 and again in 1954.
- But, it is still one of the few remaining examples of later Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) architecture.
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