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VIETNAM | Hanoi, Vietnam Travel Guide
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
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French Quarter of Hanoi
The Métropole Hotel in the French Quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam
The French Quarter of Hanoi
The French Quarter of Hanoi is home to the city's Opera House, Governor’s House, and villas of the wealthy from the colonial era. It also takes in the southeast corner of Ho An Kiem Lake which is a rather pleasant area of Hanoi. Besides which, the quarter has in it the majority of the international standard hotels and auberges, such as the Hanoi Hilton where you can still enjoy a good cup of tea and pastries, as well as views of the Hanoi Opera House. This, too, is a good place to wander the leafy streets and soak up the last of Vietnam's colonial ambiance.
Sightseeing in the French Quarter of Hanoi
Hanoi's Opera House is one of the foremost attractions in both the French Quarter and the city itself. It stands in August Revolution Square in all its splendor, recalling the pompous, luxuriant lifestyle of French colonialism, a distinct echo of La Belle France. There are, however, no tours of the Opera House. To see the interior, one must attend a performance; and its interior, we might add, is well worth seeing, fully restored, an extravaganza of marble, gilt and crystal.
The History Museum of Hanoi, one block east of the Opera House, is also worth a stop. It houses a fascinating collection of exhibits depicting the history of city. The museum building itself is also not without interest, offering up a rare mix of French and Vietnamese Colonial styles of architecture.
North still, a block or so from the History Museum is the Museum of Vietnamese Revolution, housed in a pure French Colonial building. The principal draw here is the exhibit covering the Vietnam War.
Of interest, too, two blocks north of the Hanoi Opera House on Ly Thai To are two supremely stunning examples of Vietnam's Colonial architecture: the Residence of the Governor of Tonkin and the Métropole Hotel. These are actually two of the most attractive Colonial-era buildings in all of Vietnam.
Also worth exploring in the French Quarter is Trang Tien, a shop-lined street, especially noted for its proliferation of bookshops and jewelry stores. It lies largely to the east of the lake.
There is one more place to see, infamous perhaps, but nevertheless an attraction: the Hoa Lo Prison, once also known as "Hanoi Hilton." It is a vestige of the Vietnam War, where American prisoners of war were held. Its history, however, predates the Vietnam War, to the pre-Colonial era of the early 20th century, when it was first built and used by the French to incarcerate Vietnamese prisoners. To get to the Hoa Lo Prison, journey south from the eastern end of the lake, until you come to two tall towers that overlook the prison. It is worth the trip to see one of the prominent relics of the Vietnam War era.
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