Leaving ancient pagodas in Hanoi behind, we will reveal another secret that not everyone living in Hanoi city knows well. “Hanoi – 36 Old Streets” seems to be a “Brand” of Hanoi capital with both Vietnamese people and foreign tourists traveling to Hanoi. It will be another time to talk about that and this time is for little known, but impressive streets and lanes attaching to Hanoi people daily and closely.
PART 3: STREETS IN HANOI CITY
Sitting on a cyclo to enjoy a continuous flow of traffic, no matter how long it was and how far they went, that experience was engraved on each visitor’s memory. Streets that are for local food and walking are one of the specialties of Hanoi city. It’s somewhere, you also see some ancient temples and pagodas on the side of unnamed roads and even catch a group of charming ladies in traditionally colorful dress Ao Dai posing for photos at the middle of busy streets. Hanoian is so busy for living and not everyone can know all those streets well. This article will reveal a part of that interesting thing. Keep exploring.
The shortest street in Hanoi City
According to a survey, Ho Hoan Kiem street is the shortest one in Hanoi city. It is about 52 meters in length from Cau Go Street to Dinh Tien Hoang Street. Most of travelers have not known that they were be or next to there at least once. In the French colonial period, the road was called Philharmonique and used to be a musical place that is known as Thang Long puppetry theater nowadays. That is a must-see traditional entertainment that many travel agents advise tourists watching the show. Chè street is also a popular name with Hanoi people where offers various kinds of dessert (chè) made with bean mainly.
Nguyen Xi street and Nguyen Trung Ngan street are also two special streets about their length. They are approximately 52 meters in length. Nguyen Xi street is from Dinh Le street to Trang Tien street. After the independence, the street was named for a famous general in Vietnamese history. Nowadays, there are many bookshops attracting to the most readers in Hanoi city. In spite of being short, Nguyen Xi Street is spacious and airy. On weekends, there is no vehicles around Hoan Kiem Lake following the Hanoi government’s policy to enhance tourism activities. That will an ideal place to enrich your knowledge and relax without traffic right at the city center.
Nguyen Trung Ngan street used to be a small village is now a quiet cul-de-sac. The street is 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 city nowadays).
The fewest residential streets in Hanoi City
If you feel tired of busy streets with all around the clock music and outdoor activities, and seeking a breathing room at the Hanoi center? Yes, it is possible to do it. There are many special streets like that. There are few residents. You also see no shop, no bars on both sidewalks of those streets. They are tranquil and even short enough so that you do not know when you go through it.
1. Hoa Lo Prison Memorial
The street is so special with the only one residence there. 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.
One side is People’s Supreme Court of Hanoi. The other side is Hoa Lo prison, which is the ruin after 1945 considered like a Hanoi’s special revolutionary museum and monument to the crime of French colonists.
2. Hung Vuong Street
Although it is about 1.2 km in length, there is no residence along the street. 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, the street becomes more sacred beside the great Father of Vietnamese – President Ho Chi Minh.
3. Bac Son street
The street is about 300 meters in length and has no citizens living there. Located in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Bac Son Street is a connection of many important streets around Ho Chi Minh complex. It is also near Ba Dinh Square where President Ho Chi Minh read the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945. It is worth saying is that Bac Son street is beautified by diverse kinds of charming flowers and is an ideal attraction for Hanoi people keeping their lifetime events such as wedding album, graduating party and so on.
4. Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street and One Pillar Pagoda street
Situated in the core of Ho Chi Minh complex, there is no private house except diplomatic organizations on both of these streets. A meaningful location gives these streets a sense of being sacred in the mind of Vietnamese people whenever they have a opportunity to visit their great Father.
The “Greenest” street in Hanoi
A unique street, whether it rains or not, Hoang Dieu street is always green in every daytime. It is known as a historical street and named for a famous mandarin under Nguyen dynasty who committed suicide to protest the French occupied Hanoi city.
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. The area is considered as a holy land in Hanoi city and most of streets are named for famous people dedicated their whole life to the independence of Vietnam. In the past, the street was one of the main ways to go inside Thang Long citadel. Nowadays, Hoang Dieu street is the most beautiful and greenest street in Hanoi.
“The street’s most impression is a scenery of old French villas covered by the shade of old trees” a tourist shared. Those trees are a special plant being native to Africa. For 10 years to live in Hanoi, whenever I have a chance to go through there, I have always felt special and proud of the city’s glorious history as well as its day-by-day development.
Silver Street
The specialty of “36 old streets” in Hanoi city is always an inspirational topic with many writers and poets. Located between Thang Long royal citadel and the Red river’s bank, the Old Quarter developed for commerce in a convenient way. Therefore, the area had been very populated with many specialized jobs and products, so that local people called each street name by its typical product. Nowadays, those street names mostly start with “Hàng” meaning merchandise or shop and the other part of those name is to indicate a specific job or product. Perhaps, among those diverse old streets, Hàng Bạc meaning Silver Street is a precious place to keep the most impressive historical and cultural values.
Being famous for various kinds of jewelry, Hang Bac used to be a busy place of many talented jewelers in Thang Long citadel. Until today, the bustling atmosphere is very clear to feel whenever you go there.
History records that the street was officially born in the reign of Le dynasty and renamed as today from 1945. Despite many changes throughout history and they did not sell traditional goods as their name, Hang Bac has been a great street in a Hanoi.
Especially, the Ca Tru singing, one of intangible cultural heritages of Vietnam, has been preserving in this street. It is a traditional music performance of the ancient northern Vietnamese blending of poems, singing and traditional instruments. None of tourists misses out a chance to enjoy the music show when they take a visit to Hanoi city.
Special Food Streets
If your schedule is so tight to walk on the Hanoi’s oldest bridge leisurely and watch the locals in peak traffic periods from on high. If you are not the type of those who love ancient pagodas and historic stories, so you should refer my recommendation. “You haven’t been to Hanoi until you’ve tried it once”some foreign tourists shared.
Cuisine stands out in the abstractly cultural picture of Hanoi generally and “street food” is an impressive color getting a lot attention of many travelers and their eyes come and then pause so long at Tong Duy Tan and Cam Chi streets, where it usually gets busy and exciting from the afternoon until midnight.
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, many attractively local dishes are publicly sold in each morning and until late. Besides it, Tong Duy Tan street has various names in difference times. It was named as today in 1964.
“Ga Tan” is the typical and most famous dish in this street.
There are so diverse ingredients and mainly made with chicken, various spices and traditional medicinal herbs stewed together about an hour before serving to the table. It is rich in nutrients and has won many hearts of gourmets of both of Vietnamese and travelers. These streets are not too long and just have 10 shops serving that special dish. In March, 2002, they was officially recognized as “Food Street” in Hanoi city.
If you like my articles (and even if you don’t), or have ideas for topics you’d like to enjoy in the next time, email me know what you think about. And rest assured I always strive to improve the coming articles’ quality.