Hanoi Old Quarter - Hanoi City Tour

The Hanoi Old Quarter, sometimes referred to as "Hanoi 36 streets," was established in the early 15th century and is bordered to the north by Hang Dau street and to the south by Hang Bong, Hang Gai, Cau Go, and Hang Bong streets. Tran Nhat Duat and Tran Quang Khai are to the East of Hang Thung, while Phung Hung Street is to the West.

The Hanoi Old Quarter is an area in Hoan Kiem with a total size of around 100 hectares and 76 streets divided into 10 wards: Cua Dong, Ly Thai To, Hang Dao, Hang Bac, Hang Buom, Hang Bo, Hang Bong, Hang Gai, and Hang Ma.

Despite the fact that Hanoi Old Quarter is also outside this region, only the portion that complies with the strict sense is protected and maintained, since it is the area with the greatest concentration of the old town that is the historic center. Let find out all the information of Hanoi Old Quarter and take a look Hanoi city tour with Threeland Travel. 

History

The Old Citadel and Old Quarter of Hanoi

Located east of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and close to the Red River, this lively area with residential and commercial development dates back to the Ly and Tran dynasties. Nguyen Trai also reported the names of a few trading wards here during the early Le dynasty in the book Du Dia Chi. This region was included into the four provinces of the Tho Xuong district, namely Tien Tuc, Hau Tuc, Ta Tuc, and Huu Tuc, when the Phung Thien administration of Vinh Thuan and Tho Xuong was established under the Le dynasty. The Dai La citadel, which has carved gates, sits beyond the region.

There were many lagoons in the midst of this region during the Le Dynasty, Tai Chi Lake being the largest. In this region, the Lich River links to moats, lagoons, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Red River. Although the rivers and lakes had been totally filled by the end of the 19th century, there are still remnants in the following locations: Ha Khau, Giang Khau, Cau Go, and Cau Dong.

The most populated area in the capital was created during the Ly and Tran dynasties, when villagers from the Northern Delta came here to live. Chinatowns began to emerge during the Le dynasty as a result of certain foreign Chinese traders.

After filling up all the lakes and ponds and decorating the area, the French and Indians came here to trade during the French colonial era. Dong Xuan market was created via the clearing of two tiny markets, and the Bo Ho - Thuy Khue tramway also passes through this area.

The Old Quarter's craft streets are its most well-known feature. Here, artisans from the craft villages around historic Thang Long assembled, concentrating on their own areas of expertise. The craft streets become more established as a result of the merchant ships' ability to interchange goods and services in the middle of the street. Each street specialized in trading a certain kind of goods, and the product being exchanged becomes the street name with the word "Hang" in front.

Currently, several streets continue to sell traditional goods such Thuoc Bac, Hang Ma, Hang Tre, and Hang Thiec. Additionally, some streets specialize on selling a single sort of product rather than maintaining typical professions goods like those sold on Hang Quat Street, Hang Buom Street, and Ma May Street, which is known for its tourism-related services…

• Before expanding to sell more paper statues of mandarins and homes for worship and burning, Hang Ma Street was known for trading votive items for worship, such as Hades paper money and Hades paper gold (dead people). Hang Ma Street is now crowded with people celebrating festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Lunar New Year with a variety of toys. Additionally, there is a location where cutout wedding backgrounds made of vibrant foam or colored paper may be purchased. 
• Ma May Street. Hang Ma street and Hang May street were the original names of the two old streets that made up this one. On the bank of the Nhi River, at the intersection of Hang Buom and Hang May streets, boats from the upland region congregate to transport forest goods such rattan, bamboo, and rattan. 
• The monarch granted permission to Mr. Luu Xuan Tin to open a silver casting furnace for the court on Hang Bac Street, bringing family members and residents of Trau Khe hamlet (Binh Giang district - Hai Duong) here to establish a silver casting citadel. Establishing position at residence 58 Hang Bac.
• Silk is traded and garments are sold on Hang Dao Street (the red cloth is read incorrectly as peach)
• Hang Luoc Street links Hang Cot Street and Cha Ca Street, where a variety of vendors offer combs made of wood, horn, and subsequently plastic.
• Hang Chai Street, a narrow alleyway that connects Hang Roi and Hang Cot streets, is where the underprivileged gather and specialize in gathering scraps and abandoned objects. It is not a location to make and sell bottles (garbage).
• Hang Ga Street, which connects Hang Dieu Street and Hang Cot Street, is where stores offering chicken, duck, goose, pigeon, and turkey items are located.
• The port for boats delivering jars, clay pots from Phu Lang village, ceramic pots, jars, and tiny clay pots from Phu Lang village is located on Hang Chinh Street, also called Rue des Vases (Hang Vai Pot Street) by the French. Tho Ha ceramics brand Huong Canh
• During the French colonial period, Hang Dong Street and Bat Su Street were combined, referred to as Rue des Tasses (Hang Chen Street). The old Hang Dong and Hang Ma parts are part of the Yen Phu village, whose primary industry was the sale of bronze trays, pots, tops, incense burners, flower vases, and cranes of devotion.

Old house

The Historic Quarter's architecture is also seen in the old homes in the commercial district. The majority of the historic homes are tube homes with slanted tile roofs, and the façade is an irregularly indented store. Paintings and poems have included motifs of old homes and tiled roofs. These homes were mostly constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Prior to that, the majority of homes had thatched roofs, and only a few affluent homes as well as Chinese immigrants' homes had tiled roofs.

The people and the National Guard had broken the walls from home to house during the national resistance struggle to prevent direct confrontations with the French and the legionnaires. When necessary, one might pass through the spaces between the homes to get from one end of the street to the other without having to walk along the street.

The old homes progressively vanished starting at the turn of the twentieth century. Instead, recently constructed tube dwellings alter the historic town's natural environment. However, there is still a network of interconnected passageways inside the houses.

The Hanoi city tour has many surprises that will amaze you. When you join our Hanoi city tour, you will not only be transported from the past to the present, but you will also have more opportunities to have real-life experiences that you could never have imagined.