Leaving ancient pagodas behind you, Vietnam Here and There will reveal another secret that not everyone living in hanoi knows well. It is streets in Hanoi. "Hanoi – 36 Old Streets” seems to be “BRAND” of Hanoi capital with both Vietnamese people and foreign tourists in the world.
PART 3: STREETS IN HANOI
Sitting on a cyclo to enjoy a continuous flow of traffic, no matter less or more, it was engraved on visiters' memories. Food Street, walking Street, they are one of the most well-known streets in Hanoi. Here and there, you also see some
ancient pagodas mentioned in the previous part.
Not everyone living in Hanoi can know well all streets there. Which one is the shortest street in Hanoi, which one is the clearest or the most beautiful and so on. These things will be revealed in this part “STREETS IN HANOI”.
THE SHORTEST STREET IN HANOI
According to a survey,
Ho Hoan Kiem Street is the shortest street in Hanoi. It is about 52 meters in length from Cau Go Street to Dinh Tien Hoang Street. Philharmonique, another name in French colonists, used to be a musical place in that time (
Thang Long puppetry theatre nowadays – The must-see traditional entertainment in Hanoi). Hang Che is the most popular name with Hanoi people.
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| Ho Hoan Kiem Street |
Nguyen Xi street and Nguyen Trung Ngan street are also two special streets about its length. They are approximately 52 meters in length.
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| Nguyen Xi Street |
Nguyen Xi Street is from Dinh Le Street to Trang Tien Street. After independence, the street was named for a famous general in Vietnamese history. Nowadays, there are many bookshops attracting to the most readers in Hanoi there. Though it is so short, Nguyen Xi Street is spacious and airy. It is an ideal place to enrich your knowledge and relax without noise and traffic.
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| Nguyen Trung Ngan Street |
There used to be a small village there, Nguyen Trung Ngan Street nowadays is one of the shortest streets in Hanoi. This street was named for a great mandarin dedicated his life to five king generations of Tran Dynasty. He was considered as the first mayor at Thang Long citadel (Hanoi nowadays).
THE FEWEST RESIDENTIAL STREETS
Are you tired of crowded streets in Hanoi? Why don’t you seek empty streets for your mind? There are special streets with few residences. You also cannot see any shops and bars on both sidewalks. Those streets are so tranquil and short that you do not know when you cross over it.
1. HOA LO STREET
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| Hoa Lo Street |
Hoa Lo Street is a special street that there is only one residence here. Hoa Lo is known as
Maison Centrale, used to be the largest prison in the Indochina. Built by French colonists in 1896, its purpose was to imprison and torture Vietnamese who fight against with colonial policy at that time.
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| Hoa Lo Street |
One side is People's Supreme Court of Hanoi. The other side is Hoa Lo prison, which is the rest after 1945 considered like a Hanoi’s special revolutionary museum and monument to the French colonists’ crime.
2. HÙNG VƯƠNG STREET
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| Hung Vuong Street |
Although it is about 1.2 km in length, it has no residence. It runs across
Ho Chi Minh complex
-the heart of Vietnamese people. It was named for the Supreme Leader of Van Lang nation which was the first state in Vietnam history. For this reason, this street becomes more sacred beside the great Father of Vietnamese.
3. BẮC SƠN STREET
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| Bac Son Street |
Being a special street in Hanoi, it is about 300m in length and has no residence. Located in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Bac Son Street is a connection of many important streets around Ho Chi Minh complex. Moreover, it is near Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh president read the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on
September 2, 1945.
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| Bac Son Street |
It is worth saying is that this street is beautified by diverse kinds of charming flowers. It is a ideal place for Hanoi people keeping their memories such as wedding album, graduating party and so on.
4. BA HUYEN THANH QUAN STREET & ONE PILLAR PAGODA STREET
Situated in a meaningful place - Ho Chi Minh complex, there is no a private house except diplomatic organization only. For this location, two streets seem to be sacred and meaningful with Vietnamese people whenever they have a opportunity to visit the great Father in honor.
THE GREENEST STREET
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| Hoang Dieu Street |
This is the unique street; no matter rainy or sunny, this street is always green in 4 seasons in every daytime. It is known as a historical site and was named for a famous mandarin under Nguyen dynasty. He is Hoang Dieu who committed suicide when the French occupied Hanoi.
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| Hoang Dieu Street |
Going to the street, you will enjoy many old trees’ shadow covering on both sides. Hoang Dieu Street is about 1.3 kilometers in length, connecting Phan Dinh Phung Street to Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. This area is considered as a holy land in Hanoi. Most of streets are named for famous people dedicated completely their life to Vietnam.
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| The most beautiful and greenest street in Hanoi |
In the past, it was one of the main ways to take inside Thang Long citadel. Nowadays, Hoang Dieu Street is the most beautiful and greenest street in Hanoi
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| Hoang Dieu Street |
“The most impression about this street is an image which old French villas are covered by the old streets’ shades” some tourists shared. Those trees are a special plant being native to Africa. Living in Hanoi, you always feel special and proud of a brave history in the past whenever I have a chance to visit there.
SILVER STREET
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| Hang Bac (silver street) in the past... |
“Specialty - 36 old streets” in Hanoi is always an inspirational topic with many writers and poets. Located between Thang Long royal citadel and the red river’s bank, Old Quarter developed in a convenient area for commerce. Therefore, this place has been very populated with many typical jobs. For this reason there are many streets’ name starting with “Hàng”. It means merchandise or shop. The other part of streets’ name is name for their product or location there. Perhaps, among those diverse old streets, Hang Bac meaning Silver Street is a precious place to keep the most historical and cultural values.
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| ...at present Hang Bac (silver street) |
Been famous for various kinds of jewelry, Hang Bac used to be a busy place of many talented jewelers in Thang Long citadel.
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| Hang Bac |
Until now, the bustling atmosphere is very clear to feel at ancient trade village in Thang Long citadel when you go across there. History records that the street was officially born in the reign of Le dynasty and renamed as today from 1945.
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| Hang Bac (silver street) |
Though almost old streets have changed so much throughout history and they did not sell traditional goods as its name, Hang Bac has been a great jewelry street in a Hanoi.
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| Ca Tru Singing |
Especially, The
Ca Tru singing, an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Vietnam, has been preserving in this street. It is an ancient northern Vietnamese vocal music tradition. None of tourists misses out a chance to enjoy this traditional music when they take a visit to Hanoi.
SPECIAL FOOD STREETS
You have honestly no much time to walk across
Long Bien Bridge. You have no mood to go sightseeing ancient pagodas even Old Quarter in Hanoi. However, Hanoi cuisine cannot miss out it in your trip. “You have not been Hanoi yet unless you enjoy it once” some foreign tourists shared.
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| Food Street - Tong Duy Tan Street |
Hanoi Food is a light color making up a large area in the Hanoi cultural picture. What is mentioning is that “Food Street” is better known than a residence with some special streets in Hanoi.
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| Tong Duy Tan Street |
Tong Duy Tan and Cam Chi Streets have been honored as “Food Street”. It is sometimes getting exciting from the afternoon until midnight.
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| Cam Chi Street |
People said that Cam Chi Street is closely attached to an interesting story about the 11th king of the later Lê dynasty who was deeply in debt. In ancient time, this street was only served for royal people in Thang Long citadel. Nowadays, the most popular goods is fast food for each morning and night.
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| Cam Chi Street |
Meanwhile, Tong Duy Tan Street has various names in difference times. It was named as today in 1964. “Gà Tần” is another name by some gourmets. This dish is very typical there and rich in nutrients. There are diverse ingredients. It is mainly made out of chicken, various spices and traditional medicine based on herbs. They were stewed together about 1 hour.
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| Tong Duy Tan Street |
It has won many hearts of customers, even fastidious customers. Though this street is not too long, there are approximately 10 shops serving the special dish. Two streets was officially recognized as “Food Street” in Hanoi in March, 2002.
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