Hanoi – capital of Vietnam is also the country’s second largest city. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam, before being eclipsed by Huế, the imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802–1945). Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954 and from 1954 to 1976, it was the capital of North Vietnam, but became the capital of a reunified Vietnam in 1976, after the North’s victory in the war with America.
The city is situated on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is 1,760 km (1,090 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City and 120 km (75 mi) west of Hai Phong City, the main sea port in the country.
October 2010 officially marked 1000 years since the city name was changed from Thang Long to Hanoi and to mark the occasion The Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural, a 4 km ceramic mosaic mural was created and can be seen on Tran Quang Khai street. The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, is a romantic city, with many lakes and parks and with many sites to see and much to do. The ancient history is on display wherever you look, and the 36 ancient streets of the Old Quarter are a great place to start. Modernity has meant that sky-scrapers appear next to pagodas and temples that are from eras gone by, and now with infrastructure improving day by day, it makes explorations much easier.
It is a truly wonderful place to discover and explore.
