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 is ...

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 i ...

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

Lý Thái Tổ Lý Thái Tổ ( vi-hantu, , 8 March 974 – 31 March 1028), Vietnamese name, personal name Lý Công Uẩn, temple name Thái Tổ, was a Vietnamese people, Vietnamese emperor, the founder of the Lý dynasty of Vietnam and the 6th ruler of ...

of the Lý dynasty.

History

Pre-Thăng Long period

During the early and middle

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

, modern Vietnam was administered as the Annan protectorate (

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...

: ''An Nam đô hộ phủ)'', with the seat of power located in Tong Binh (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, 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 rest ...

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

: ''Hoàng thành''), between these two layers is a residential area, the innermost sector is the Forbidden City (or "Purple Forbidden City", from the

''Tử cấm thành''; a term identical to the

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

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

). 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 Lý dynasty 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 Lê Lợi (, Chữ Hán: 黎利; c. 10 September 1384/1385 – 5 October 1433), also known by his temple name as Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖) and by his pre-imperial title Bình Định vương (平定王; "Prince of Pacification"), was a Vietnam ...

established the took the reign name

Lê Thái Tổ Le is a romanization of several rare East Asian surnames and a common Vietnamese surname. It is a fairly common surname in the United States, ranked 975th during the 1990 census and 368th during the 2000 census. In 2000, it was the eighth-most-co ...

and established Lê dynasty in 1428, with the capital still in Thăng Long under the new name of Đông Kinh. The rule of Đông Kinh under the Lê dynasty was very similar to the rule of Thăng Long under the Lý dynasty, with the change of name being largely symbolic.

ordered repairs to the citadel after damage left by war with the

Ming army The military of the Ming dynasty was the military apparatus of Imperial China, China from 1368 to 1644. It was founded in 1368 during the Red Turban Rebellion by the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang. The military was initially organised along la ...

. 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 South ...

. 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 Nguyễn dynasty 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 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 Nguyễn dynasty 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 Emperor o ...

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 North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...

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 ...

(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 specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

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 h ...

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 Lý dynasty royal palaces and edifices were largely destroyed by Nguyễn dynasty during reconstruction in the early 19th century. Many Nguyễn dynasty 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 The old National Assembly Building (Nhà Quốc hội), also Ba Đình Hall (Hội trường Ba Đình), was a public large building, located on Ba Đình Square across the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, in Hanoi, Vietnam. The building was used by the Na ...

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 Nguyễn dynasty 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 Nguyễn dynasty. The structural remains have recently led to new stylistic and structural insights about ancient Vietnamese architecture, 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 Nguyễn dynasty 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 Lê dynasty.

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 ...

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 Lý dynasty, but the standing structure is dated to the Lê dynasty, with additions and reconstructions made during the Nguyễn dynasty 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 Nguyễn dynasty. 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 Lê dynasty. Kinh Thiên Palace's stone dragon sculptures are considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese architectural and artistic heritage, representing the sculpture art of the early Lê dynasty. 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 (

: ''Tĩnh Bắc lâu)'' or the Princess' Palace, the standing structure was built during the Nguyễn dynasty 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 Lê dynasty 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 Nguyễn dynasty reconstruction of the citadel. The structure is mainly built of embellished brick and stone, and Lê dynasty 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 Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...

, 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