The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long ( vi, Hoàng thành Thăng Long; Hán-Nôm: ) is a complex of historic buildings associated with the history of Vietnam located in the centre of

Hanoi Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi i ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

. Its construction began in 1010 and was completed in early 1011 under the reign of Emperor Lý Thái Tổ of the

Lý dynasty The Lý dynasty ( vi, Nhà Lý, , chữ Nôm: 茹李, chữ Hán: 李朝, Hán Việt: ''Lý triều'') was a Vietnamese dynasty that existed from 1009 to 1225. It was established by Lý Công Uẩn when he overthrew the Early Lê dynasty an ...

History

Pre-Thăng Long period

During the early and middle

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

, modern Vietnam was administered as the Annan protectorate ( Vietnamese: ''An Nam đô hộ phủ)'', with the seat of power located in

Tong Binh Songping (), or Tống Bình in Vietnamese, was a former imperial Chinese and Vietnamese settlement on the south bank of the Red River within the present-day Từ Liêm and Hoài Đức districts of Hanoi, Vietnam. History A fortified settleme ...

(the area of modern Hanoi). In 866, after recapturing the protectorate from

Nanzhao Nanzhao (, also spelled Nanchao, ) was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southern China and northern Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered on present-day Yunnan in China. History Origins Nanzh ...

forces, Tang Dynasty general

Gao Pian Gao Pian (; 821? – 24 September 887Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 257.), courtesy name Qianli (), formally the Prince of Bohai (), was a Chinese military general, poet, and politician of the Tang ...

re-established the protectorate as the Jinghaijun ordered the construction of the Đại La Citadel, which would later become the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. The fall of the Tang Dynasty brought about a period of turbulent independence in Vietnam called the

Anarchy of the 12 Warlords The Anarchy of the 12 Warlords ( vi, Loạn 12 sứ quân, Chữ Nôm: 亂𨑮𠄩使君; Sino-Vietnamese: ''Thập nhị sứ quân chi loạn'', Chữ Hán: 十二使君之亂), also the Period of the 12 Warlords, was a period of chaos and civi ...

, which ended after the creation of the

Đại Việt Đại Việt (, ; literally Great Việt), often known as Annam ( vi, An Nam, Chữ Hán: 安南), was a monarchy in eastern Mainland Southeast Asia from the 10th century AD to the early 19th century, centered around the region of present-day H ...

monarchy. During

Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...

, the Đại La Citadel served as an important military site for its use in defenses against Northern invasions and internal conflicts, though it would not be re-established as the center of power in An Nam until the Lý Dynasty's rise to power in the early 11th century.

Lý – Trần period (11th – 14th centuries)

The Vietnamese royal enclosure was first built in 1010, during the

, and subsequently expanded by subsequent dynasties. It remained the seat of the Vietnamese court until 1810, when the

Nguyễn dynasty The Nguyễn dynasty (chữ Nôm: 茹阮, vi, Nhà Nguyễn; chữ Hán: 阮朝, vi, Nguyễn triều) was the last Vietnamese dynasty, which ruled the unified Vietnamese state largely independently from 1802 to 1883. During its existence, ...

chose to move the capital to

Huế Huế () is the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế province in central Vietnam and was the capital of Đàng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The city served as the old Imperial City and admi ...

. The ruins of the older citadel structures roughly coincide with the present-day Hanoi Citadel area in the

Ba Đình District BA, Ba, or ba may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Bangladesh Army * Bibliotheca Alexandrina, an Egyptian library and cultural center * Boeing (NYSE stock symbol BA) * Booksellers Association of the UK and Ireland * Boston Acoustics, ...

of the city. When the large complex was first built, Thang Long Citadel was built according to a plan of three sectors arranged in rings, similar to the modern layout. The outermost sector is the primary defensive fortification of the citadel (called ''La thành'' or ''Kinh thành''), the middle sector is the Imperial City ( Vietnamese: ''Hoàng thành''), between these two layers is a residential area, the innermost sector is the Forbidden City (or "Purple Forbidden City", from the Vietnamese ''Tử cấm thành''; a term identical to the

Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is a palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples including the Zhongshan Park, the sacrifi ...

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

). In 1029, Lý Thai Tông rebuilt the entire Forbidden City after it was destroyed by the Three Kings Rebellion. Later Lý rulers and rulers from dynasties would make additions and renovations to the complex. The material remains of the original structure are limited to the foundations of the complex (mostly made from teracotta), an extensive drainage system, and various royal architectural decorations.“World Heritage Nomination Profile – The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi, Vietnam”. UNESCO. 2010. https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/nominations/1328.pdf The drainage and foundation systems are indicative of the site's large-scale urban design. Associated with the common view of the

as a Vietnamese "golden age"Logan, W. S (2014). �
Making the Most of Heritage in Hanoi, Vietnam
��. ''Historic Environment,'' vol. 26 no. 3, pp. 62-72. the archeological remains have deep significance to the national history of Vietnam.

Lê – Mạc period (15th – 18th centuries)

Following a successful revolution against

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

occupation, Lê Lợi established the took the reign name Lê Thái Tổ and established

Lê dynasty The Lê dynasty, also known as Later Lê dynasty ( vi, Hậu Lê triều, chữ Hán: 後黎朝 or vi, nhà Hậu Lê, link=no, chữ Nôm: 茹後黎), was the longest-ruling Vietnamese dynasty, ruling Đại Việt from 1428 to 1789. The Lê ...

in 1428, with the capital still in Thăng Long under the new name of Đông Kinh. The rule of Đông Kinh under the

was very similar to the rule of Thăng Long under the

, with the change of name being largely symbolic. Lê Thái Tổ ordered repairs to the citadel after damage left by war with the Ming army. Rulers during the

Mạc dynasty The Mạc dynasty ( vi, Nhà Mạc / ''Mạc triều''; Hán Nôm: 茹莫 / 莫朝) (1527-1627), as known as House of Mạc ruled the whole of Đại Việt between 1527 and 1540 and the northern part of the country from 1540 until 1593, and ...

, controlled Đông Kinh from 1527 until 1592. In 1585 a period of construction began under the

Mạc Mậu Hợp Mạc Mậu Hợp (莫茂洽, 1560–1593) was the fifth and effectively last reigning emperor of the Mạc dynasty from 1562 to 1593. Biography Mạc Mậu Hợp was born in 1560 at Đông Đô. He became the emperor in 1562. In 1592, the Southe ...

. In 1592, the citadel was seized by armies from the

Revival Lê dynasty The Revival Lê dynasty ( vi, Nhà Lê trung hưng 茹黎中興; Hán-Việt: 黎中興朝 ''Lê trung hưng triều''), also called the Later Lê Restoration, was a Vietnamese dynasty that existed between 1533 and 1789. The Primal Lê dynasty ( ...

and re-established as the dynasty's capital city, undergoing more repairs in 1599 and serving as a symbolic seat of power and administrative heartland for the

Trịnh lords The Trịnh lords ( vi, Chúa Trịnh; Chữ Nôm: 主鄭; 1545–1787), formal title Trịnh Viceroy (; ), also known as Trịnh clan (鄭氏, ''Trịnh thị'') or the House of Trịnh, were a noble feudal clan who de facto ruled Northern Viet ...

Nguyễn period (18th – 19th centuries)

When the

took control in 1802, after a period of war and

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

influence, the capital of

was moved to

. A new Imperial Citadel, which followed the same three-sector plan as the Imperial Citadel at Thăng Long, was constructed there. Much of what was left of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long after the destructive war at the end of the 18th century was taken to serve the construction of the new citadel, though Map_of_Hanoi

In 1805,

Gia Long Gia Long ( (''North''), ('' South''); 8 February 1762 – 3 February 1820), born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) or Nguyễn Ánh, was the founding emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam. His dynasty would rule the unifi ...

enacted an extensive reconstruction of the old Imperial Citadel which truncated the complex and reconstructed the outer wall in the French the Vauban style. In 1831, during his administrative reform

Minh Mang {{Orphan, date=December 2021 Minh (Chữ Nôm: 明) is a popular unisex given name of Vietnamese origin, written using the Chinese character (明) meaning "bright", and is also popular among other East Asian names. The Chinese name Ming has the s ...

changed the name of Thăng Long to

province. This name existed until 1888 when the

officially ceded Hanoi to the French, after which it would become the administrative capital of French Indochina Federation.

French Colonial – Revolutionary periods (19th – 20th centuries)

When it was controlled by the French as the capital of

Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...

(1885–1954), the Citadel of Hanoi was largely demolished to make the land for offices and barracks. Except for the North Gate and the Flag Tower, what remains of Hanoi citadel to this day is only an archaeological site and restored. Systematic restoration and excavation began in the 21st century. In mid-1945 the Citadel was used by the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emper ...

to imprison over 4000

French colonial French colonial architecture includes several styles of architecture used by the French during colonization. Many former French colonies, especially those in Southeast Asia, have previously been reluctant to promote their colonial architectur ...

soldiers captured during the

Japanese coup d'état in French Indochina The Japanese ''coup d'état'' in French Indochina, known as , was a Japanese operation that took place on 9 March 1945, towards the end of World War II. With Japanese forces losing the war and the threat of an Allied invasion of Indochina imm ...

in March 1945. During the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, the Imperial Citadel was used as an administrative capital and headquarters for the North Vietnamese

Ministry of Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...

and Army. During and after the revolution, several French structures were destroyed or re-appropriated, including what is now the

Vietnam Military History Museum The Vietnam Military History Museum, set up on 17 July 1956, is one of seven national museums in Vietnam. It covers 12,800 m2. It is situated in central Hanoi, opposite the Lenin Park and near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The Flag Tower of Hanoi i ...

(formerly a French military headquarters). Between 1998 and 2000, minor renovations were made to the site so that it would be more accessible and safe for visitors. Major archeological discoveries were made as part of a construction project in 2002–2004. In 2004, the

moved from the Central Sector of the site so that the relics could be more completely conserved by the Hanoi People’s Committee Department of Culture and Information. In 2009, the Citadel was inscribed as a Special Relic of National significance ( Special National Site), making it the first site listed under that category. The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel was listed in

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

on July 31, 2010 at its session in Brazil, as "The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long – Hanoi". The site has undergone several modifications as part of a larger ongoing plan for restoration. Some of these renovations and their efficacy have become controversial.

Relics

The

royal palaces and edifices were largely destroyed by

during reconstruction in the early 19th century. Many

structures were later destroyed during the in the late 19th century during periods of French and Japanese control. The few remaining structures within the royal compound are the Main Gate (''Đoan Môn'') marking the southern entrance to the royal palace, the Hanoi Flag Tower (''Cột cờ Hà Nội''), the steps of Kinh Thiên Palace (''Điện Kính Thiên''), and the Rear Palace (''Hậu Lâu''). Thành cổ Hà Nội (29)

Architectural and foundational remains of the Imperial City were discovered on the site of the former Ba Đình Hall at 18 Hoàng Diệu Street when the structure was torn down in 2008 to make way for a new parliament building. Various archaeological remains unearthed were brought to the

National Museum A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numb ...

to be exhibited. Thus far only a small fraction of Thăng Long has been excavated. Since the initial excavation, many restoration and heritage preservation projects have occurred at the site, including several National projects and a successful push for UNESCO recognition. The recognized world heritage site is about 18 hectares comprising two primary areas the Hanoi Ancient Citadel itself, where most of the standing

remain, and the Archaeological Site 18 Hoàng Diệu Street directly to the East (including a buffer zone of 108 hectares for an protected area of about 126 hectares, out of a total of 140 hectares containing the entire Imperial Citadel). The Ancient Citadel is constructed on a slightly offset North-South axis and organized according to traditional geomantic principles (''phong thuy; feng shui'') which give the site a historic and spiritual significance.

Archaeological Site 18 Hoàng Diệu Street

This site consists of relics from the Đại La citadel under

during the

, foundational and decorative remains from the Lý and Trần dynasties, remnants of Lê and Đông palaces, and structures indicating that the area was the center of the 19th century Hanoi citadel under the

. The structural remains have recently led to new stylistic and structural insights about ancient

Vietnamese architecture Vietnamese architecture () is the architectural style used in Vietnam through the process of historical development and the absorption and integration of regional and international architectures. Vietnamese-style architecture is formed accordin ...

, which was one of the primary points of historical value for the site's nomination. The current archeological results (cultural strata, artifacts) and geological survey results in the area are indicative of an ancient geomantic flow (in the north-south direction). Because natural ground has a poor load-bearing capacity, the architectural scale and complexity is considered a significant technical advancement of the Vietnamese in construction. Although it is not possible to confirm the size and function of all the works the foundations indicate, it is clear by the size of the area that these ruins show a rich architectural complex. Along with important discoveries of architectural vestiges, a large number of ceramics, which were used in daily life in the Royal Palace through many periods, were also found. These discoveries have aided in the study of Thang Long pottery over several phases of history. Several exhibitions have displayed relics recovered from the Imperial Citadel since the excavations began. Since 2002, there have been several calls for an on-site museum to preserve archeological artefacts. 20180506 Flag Tower of Hanoi HDR

Hanoi Flag Tower

Among the structures related to the Imperial City is the Hanoi Flag Tower (). Rising to a height of 33.4 m (41 m with the flag, 60 m including the base), it is a culturally-significant landmark and frequently used as a symbol of the city. Built in 1812 during the

during the Vauban reconstruction of the citadel, the tower, unlike many other structures in Hanoi, was spared during the French colonial rule as it was used as a military post (and as such is included as part of the

). It stands on the foundation of the outer gate of the Forbidden City during the

Main Gate (''Đoan Môn'')

File:Doan Mon Gate 1.jpg, Đoan Môn gate (2018) File:Cổng Đoan Môn.jpg, Đoan Môn (Street view of South façade, 2021) File:Thang Long Citadel.jpg, Đoan Môn (Full view of South façade, 2021) File:Hanoi Citadel.jpg, Đoan Môn (Closer view of the

Nguyen dynasty Nguyễn () is the most common Vietnamese surname. Outside of Vietnam, the surname is commonly rendered without diacritics as Nguyen. Nguyên (元）is a different word and surname. By some estimates 39 percent of Vietnamese people bear this s ...

pavilion from the North, 2008) Đoan Môn is the archway leading to Kinh Thiên Palace and the primary (southernmost) entrance to the Forbidden City. Đoan Môn consists of five gates built of stone. A similar gate was constructed during the

, but the standing structure is dated to the

, with additions and reconstructions made during the

renovations. The gate and the courtyard behind it have served important ceremonial roles as a location for rituals, festivals, and other events. The five gates served as entrances for different classes in periods where the Imperial Citadel housed the royal family: the centermost gate was reserved for the Emperor, and the two nearer gates were used by members of the royal family or high-ranking officials. The second-floor terrace over the entrance has a palatial-style pavilion added during the

. The masonry and ornamentation employed are indicative of the period's construction techniques. In 2002, Vietnamese archaeologists, who were allowed to dig in the area, found the "ancient carriageway" of the

Trần dynasty The Trần dynasty, ( Vietnamese: Nhà Trần, chữ Nôm: 茹陳）also known as the House of Trần, was a Vietnamese dynasty that ruled over the Kingdom of Đại Việt from 1225 to 1400. The dynasty was founded when emperor Trần Thá ...

, using many Lý bricks, the study of which is still ongoing.

Kinh Thiên Palace

Kinh Thiên Palace is the primary relic pf Hanoi's Ancient Citadel, located in the center of the Forbidden City thus bearing the most geomantically important location therein. The vestiges of Kinh Thiên Palace are only the old foundations and the steps up onto them, since the palace was demolished by the French to construct and artillery headquarters (a neoclassical building called the "Dragon House"). The front, south entrance of Kinh Thiên Palace platform features a large staircase consisting of 10 steps divided into 3 equal parts (used similarly to the gates of the Đoan Môn, with the central staircase reserved for the Emperor and the others reserved for the royal family and officials) by two large dragon statues, constituting what are called the "Dragon Steps". These two stone dragons were carved in 1467 century during the

. Kinh Thiên Palace's stone dragon sculptures are considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese architectural and artistic heritage, representing the sculpture art of the early

. Another set of similar dragon statues — smaller, but similarly detailed and symbolic — were added to the rear of the palace at the turn of the 17th century.

Rear Palace (''Hậu Lâu'')

Also known as the Northern Palace ( Vietnamese: ''Tĩnh Bắc lâu)'' or the Princess' Palace, the standing structure was built during the

to house concubines when the Emperor was in Hanoi and significantly reconstructed after severe damage at the end of the 19th century. Excavations beginning in 1998 revealed Lý,

Trần Trần (陳) or Tran is a common Vietnamese surname. More than 10% of all Vietnamese people share this surname. It is derived from the common Chinese surname Chen. History The Tran ruled the Trần dynasty, a golden era in Vietnam, and succe ...

, and

foundations as well as remains of fine pottery.

North Gate (''Cửa Bắc, or Bắc Môn'')

File:Hanoi citadel.jpg, Front view of the North Gate with moat (1885) File:Hanoi citadel 2.jpg, Back façade from inside the Citadel (1884–1885) File:Bắc Môn.JPG, The North Gate (2009) The North gate is the last standing gate of five built for the

reconstruction of the citadel. The structure is mainly built of embellished brick and stone, and

foundations were found near the structure in 1998. The North face of the structure has cannon marks from the 1882 Battle for the Hanoi Citadel.

Building D67 and Bunker

File:Hanoi Citadel 0361.JPG, Façade of Building D67 (2008) File:Ham ngam D67.jpg, Meeting room of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission in the underground tunnel D67 (2008) From 1954 to 1975, the

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed wi ...

, had its headquarters within the Citadel. Building D67 was constructed (as the name suggests) in 1967. It was built the contemporary architectural style (to look like a house and hide its military significance) with many defensive features, including a 60-centimeter thick soundproofing wall, reinforced entrances, and a connecting tunnel that allowed for emergency evacuation in case of an attack. The building currently serves as a museum which exhibits tools that comrades in the Politburo and the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff used in the resistance war against the United States. The building and tunnel are situated on the northern part of the Kinh Thiên Palace foundations.

References

External links

*
IHT , Ruins of royal complex of Thang Long are excavated in Hanoi
Article from October 17, 2007, accessed December 31, 2008
Việt Nam News , Historic Thang Long Citadel explored
Article from December 21, 2008, accessed December 31, 2008 {{DEFAULTSORT:Imperial Citadel of Thang Long Buildings and structures in Hanoi World Heritage Sites in Vietnam Historical sites in Hanoi Military history of Vietnam Forts in Vietnam Protected areas of Vietnam