Hanoi showcases some of the best examples of French colonial architecture to be seen anywhere, a legacy of French colonisation of the countries known as Indochina from 1887 to 1954.
Many examples remain today in Hanoi and in other cities, and some notable colonial structures are an eclectic mixture of French and traditional Vietnamese architectural styles.Above, left to right, the Temple of Literature, Hanoi Opera House, and inside St Joseph's Cathedral.
In my second article about Vietnam's capital, I'm featuring some of Hanoi's grand old buildings, walking tours and some evening entertainment.
Hanoi Presidential Palace (title picture) was designed by Auguste Henri Vildieu, an architect and the French architectural adjutant in Hanoi when the city was an administrative centre for Indochina. Completed in 1906, it was originally known as the Palace of the Governor-General of Indochina and was renamed the Presidential Palace on Vietnam's Independence Day in 1945.
This building was intended to become President Ho Chi Minh's official residence, but he chose a traditional stilt house instead. Inspired by French architectural style, this striking mustard-coloured three-storey building has 30 rooms surrounded by a lush garden with an orchard, a long boulevard and a carp pond.
The palace is now used for official receptions and is not open to the public, although visitors can walk through the gardens. It is also part of the Ho Chi Minh complex, which has other attractions open to the public.
The Temple of Literature is a cultural and educational heritage of Vietnam and one of the most attractive historical attractions for both visitors to Hanoi and locals. It is a combination of two architectural complexes: Van Mieu, a Confucian temple, and Quoc Tu Giam, the Imperial Academy which was Vietnam's first national university.
There are five courtyards in the complex and the fifth is where the Imperial Academy used to produce some of the finest graduates across the nation. Destroyed during the First Indochina War, these grounds have been reconstructed to show the academy's original layout.
In between the courtyards are the Stelae of Doctors – carved blue stone turtles with intricate messages that pay homage to talent and study. Turtles symbolise longevity and wisdom in Vietnam and many students who graduated from this university went on to perform important roles in Vietnamese society.
The Hanoi Opera House, like the Presidential Palace and many other buildings, is a familiar yellow, a colour favoured by both French colonial architects and the superstitious Vietnamese. The Hanoi Opera House is the biggest performing arts venue in Vietnam.
Construction of the Hanoi Opera House began In 1901 under the instruction of French architects, Broyer and Harley, and inspired by ancient Greek architectural styles and the Opéra Garnier de Paris. It was a mammoth task that took 10 years to complete. It's an outstanding piece of neo-classical French architecture featuring Gothic themes on the doors and domes with pillars, shuttered windows, balconies and a glass room. It was here that Vietnam experienced its first exposure to Western art and music.
In the beginning it was a cultural centre for French and Vietnamese elite, where Vietnamese groups performed plays. Later, it was used to stage political events.
Today it is a conventional opera house where people come to enjoy classical music and opera as well as Vietnamese traditional plays and folk music. It has become a status symbol for Vietnamese artists who perform here, as it reaffirms their talent and contribution to national art.
St Joseph's Cathedral, or "The Big Church" as it is known to locals, is one of the few famous structures built by French colonists that remained largely intact in Hanoi after two fierce wars.
The construction of St Joseph's took place from 1884 to 1887 on the site of Bao Thien Pagoda near Hoan Kiem Lake. St Joseph's Cathedral is said to mirror the architectural style of Notre Dame de Paris – and certainly similarities can be seen – with multiple features representing Gothic Revival architecture.
During the French colonial period, St Joseph's Cathedral became the centre of Christianity in North Vietnam. After the retreat of French colonialists from the north in 1954, the cathedral was closed and not until Christmas of 1990 was it opened again for worship.
These sites can all be reached on a free Hanoi walking tour, or you can construct your own tour.
#1 Free tours club in Hanoi 2023
Street food
After a day of sightseeing you may also want to consider another type of walking tour – a street food tour. A tour around the old quarter of Hanoi to sample the street food is a highlight of any visit to this city. It is an opportunity to taste authentic and delicious Vietnamese cuisine as eaten by the locals.
On the tour you're taken to hidden alleyways and bustling markets of Hanoi's colourful old quarter to learn more about Hanoi's unique fusion of food cultures, with influences from French and Chinese cuisines.
To be clear, a street food tour doesn't mean you only eat from streetside stalls; much of the food is served in small restaurants which most likely you would never find on your own, and sometimes you eat kerbside. A knowledgeable guide takes you from place to place – about eight in total on the tour we took – and you get to sample some really tasty food. You won't need dinner afterwards.
There are about six to eight in a group and the tour we took started at 6pm and lasted for about three hours. It finished with a drink and a spectacular night view of Hanoi from a rooftop bar.
Water puppet theatre
An alternative way to spend the evening is to watch a fabulously entertaining water puppet show. There are several water puppet theatres in Hanoi but the two best known are probably the Thang Long and the Lotus.
The world-famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre has its roots in an art form that dates back to the 11th century. The tradition of water puppet theatre stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villagers would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water. Using large rods to support the puppets it appeared as if they were moving across the water with the puppeteers hidden behind a screen.
Shows at this modern theatre are performed in a pool of water as the stage for the puppets. The puppets are controlled by no more than eight puppeteers hiding behind a bamboo screen. This tradition is unique to North Vietnam but in recent years has found fame on stages all over the world, so it's a rare treat to see the puppets perform in their original location at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
Performances are accompanied by a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music using drums, wooden bells, horns, bamboo flutes and cymbals. There are also authentic Vietnamese operatic songs telling the story being acted out by the puppets. Most of the shows recount Vietnamese folk tales and legends with topics including the celebration of the rice harvest depicted in a humorous fashion.
The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre holds shows five or six times a day, almost every day of the week. Each show lasts for about one hour.
The Lotus Water Puppet Theatre performs at 5.15pm daily with a second performance at 6.30pm on Wednesdays.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is located at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street, right in the centre of Hanoi. Lotus Water Puppet Theatre is at 16 Le Thai To Street, on the western side of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Photos © Judy Barford