5 Monuments to Explore in Hanoi

A historic cantilever bridge across the Red River. The bridge was built in 1899-1902 by the architects Daydé & Pillé of Paris, and opened in 1903. It was heavily bombarded during Vietnam War due to its critical position. It was the only bridge at that time across the Red River connecting Hanoi to the main port of Haiphong.

Opera House erected by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911, it was modeled on the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris's two opera houses. After the departure of the French, the opera house became the scene for several political events as well as the scene of street fighting during the fight for Hanoi.

Active railway tracks going through resedential buildings and shops. Note that this area is closed for visitors due to safety concerns you can visit it only if you know someone who lives in the area and bring you along.

One of Vietnam's two most iconic temples. The temple is built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter and 4 m in height, and it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, a Buddhist symbol of purity. The emperor Lý Thái Tông constructed the temple in 1049, in gratitude for having a son.

A complex of historic imperial buildings located in the centre of Hanoi. The royal enclosure was first built during the Lý dynasty (1010) and expanded by the Trần, Lê and finally the Nguyễn dynasty. It remained the seat of the Vietnamese court until 1810, when the Nguyễn dynasty chose to move the capital to Huế.