As 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.

Some of the prominent places are: The Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu), site of the oldest university in Vietnam; One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột); Flag Tower of Hanoi (Cột cờ Hà Nội); The Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm

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The Temple of Literature Van Mieu Temple		One Pillar Pagoda Mot Cot Pagoda		The Lake of the Returned Sword Hoan Kiem Lake
West Lake Hồ Tây		Tran Quoc Pagoda		Temple of Kneeling Elephants Voi Phuc Temple
Ambassadors' Pagoda Quan Su Pagoda		Ngoc Son Temple		Quan Thanh Temple Tran Vu Temple

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 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 merchant and household 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 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 (Hồ Tây) 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. Wikipedia

▪ Hanoi Capital City: History, Geography, Climate, Education, Places of interest, Population, Transportation and Economy.