Hoan Kiem Lake

According to mythology, after defeating the Ming China, Emperor Le Loi was sailing on the lake when a Golden Turtle God (Kim Qui) appeared and requested Heaven’s Will, his magical weapon. Loi deduced that Kim Qui had come to reclaim the sword that its owner, a local God known as the Dragon King (Long Vuong), had given him to defeat Ming China. After the turtle had defeated the Chinese, the Emperor returned the sword to him. Emperor Loi nicknamed the lake Luc Thuy, which means “Green Water,” to commemorate this event. The tradition is associated with the Turtle Tower, which stands on a small island near the center of the lake. When the Emperor did not return the Magical Sword to the Golden Turtle God, the lake’s first name was Ta Vng (Cu Rua).

For many years, large soft-shell turtles, either Rafetus swinhoei or a different species dubbed Rafetus leloi in honor of the emperor, had been spotted in the lake. On January 19, 2016, the final known individual was discovered deceased. There are just three R. swinhoei turtles left in the world.

Jade Islet, located near the lake’s northern coast, is home to the Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Sn Temple). The temple dates from the 18th century. It pays tribute to the 13th-century military leader Trn Hng o, who distinguished himself by fighting three Mongol invasions of Vietnam; the classic scholar Van Xng; and Nguyen Van Sieu, a notable writer and official who oversaw temple repairs in 1864. The wooden The Huc Bridge, painted vermillion red, connects Jade Island to the mainland. The bridge’s name means “Perch of the Morning Sunlight” in poetic translation.