Hanoi Old Quarter

99 P. Hàng Gai, Hàng Gai, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 10000, Vietnam

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Description

The Old Quarter in Hanoi is a fascinating neighborhood with a combination of Vietnamese architecture, green spaces, ancient businesses, and as fresh as it gets street food — all readily explored on foot.

These 36 streets may appear chaotic at first glance. The Old Quarter’s allure stems from its constant bustle. Sit in a cafe and watch the activity from a safe distance. You’ll see bicycle merchants selling beautiful flowers and ripe fruit, old friends reuniting for games of checkers, and cooks cooking hot phở and bún chả. The longer you travel, the more moments you’ll find in hidden alleyways, isolated pagodas, and cozy coffee shops.

The 36 guild alleys of the Old Quarter were named after the 36 trades or crafts that established themselves in this area north of the lake and produced high-quality goods for the royals in the nearby Thang Long Citadel. Only a few streets now sell the same things they used to. Some streets, on the other hand, have preserved the traditions of the past, and they may be a lot of fun to explore on foot and with your camera.

36 streets

The Old Quarter’s most recognized feature is its quarters dedicated to a single trade or guild. Craftsmen from the city’s surrounding villages used to congregate in one area of their guild to sell their crafts to merchants. The trades or guilds of each region named the streets in the quarter, therefore most streets began with hàng (“wares”), such as Hàng Tre street (“bamboo wares street”) and Hàng Đồng street (“copper wares street”).

Several of the streets remain focused on the trade that gave them their names. Others continue to specialize in one trade, but it is not their historic specialization — for example, Hàng Buồm street (“sails street”), which has been dominated by Vietnamese pastries and confectionery.

Researchers utilizing a quantitative social anthropology technique demonstrated that the Old Quarter displayed Hanoi’s cultural evolution during the first decades of the twentieth century.

It may come as a surprise to learn that Hanoi’s Old Quarter was established in 1010, when King Ly Thai To chose Thang Long as the country’s capital; thus, the streets have a nearly 1,000-year history and were packed and bustling in the 15th century. What distinguishes them is that many of them have been preserved in their original 15th-century architecture. It is currently Vietnam’s oldest continually built area.

Historical architecture

Many historic sites, such as temples, pagodas, and assembly halls, may be found in the Old Quarter.

Most artisan streets used to have a temple dedicated to worshiping the craft’s fabled founders. The ground level of such community temples in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, in particular, was frequently used for business. The majority of such communal temples have been demolished over time. Several temples, like the M Mây and Kim C temples, have survived.

Several city gates once stood in what is now known as the Old Quarter. Only the Quan Chng gate remains.

The ancient architecture of the business district is distinctive of the Old Quarter. The majority of the ancient houses are shophouses with slanted tile roofs, with the side facing the street serving as the entry to the shop inside. These dwellings were largely erected in the 18th and 19th centuries; before to that, most houses had thatched roofs.

The number of traditional dwellings has been decreasing since the end of the twentieth century.

How to get around in Hanoi Old Quarter

Prepare your feet for a day of walking from street to street, soaking in the inhabitants’ everyday lives, the old-style small streets and residences, the colorful souvenir stores, and, of course, sampling some of Hanoi’s most delicious traditional foods. Many people feel that taking a Hanoi walking tour or food tour offered by travel firms will provide international visitors with a complete experience of Hanoi Old Quarter, encompassing daily life, history, and a feast for their tummies. Those looking to walk about the region should consider this Hanoi Old Quarter walking tour, while those looking to discover the wonderful traditional food in the area should consider this.

The Old Quarter of Hanoi is not the most pedestrian-friendly city in the world, but walking is the best way to experience it. Walking from one end of the Old Quarter to the other takes roughly 30 minutes.

Taxis are cheap and plentiful in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Make sure you take a taxi with a name and a phone number. Although there have been reports of taxi scams in the past, they are uncommon throughout the day. Cab Group is the most trustworthy taxi company (painted white with red and blue line). Costs: $50-75 cents per kilometer.

Buses connect the Hanoi Old Quarter to the rest of the city. The most notable are:
– Number 9: connection to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (depart from bus stop near Hoan Kiem Lake)
– Number 14: connection to East side of the West Lake (depart from bus stop near Hoan Kiem Lake)
– Number 31: connection to Giap Bat Bus station (depart from bus stop near Hoan Kiem Lake)
– Number 17: connection to Noi Bai Airport (depart from bus stop near Dong Xuan market)
– Number 23: connection to Temple of Literature (depart from bus stop on Ly Nam De street)

Taking the bus is the finest way to experience the most local way of living. Make sure to print out a bus map ahead of time. Ticket price: 7,000 VND (about 30 cents)

Cyclo usually only makes short trips around the Old Quarter and to adjacent attractions such as the Temple of Literature. It’s a relaxing approach to take in the beauty of the city. Before you begin, agree on a price.

Several electric vehicles provide tours of the Old Quarter. It may not have a set timetable and must wait until it is full, or you can pay full fare to charter the car. These automobiles will drive you throughout the Old Quarter to the most important streets.

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