100 years Dien Bien Phu Hanoi city Hoan Kiem lake Long Bien bridge Long Bien market Red river train station

If Hoan Kiem Lake with special green water and the red bridge named The Huc is the symbol of an elegant and charming ancient city; Red river and Long Bien bridge may be seen as the symbol of courageous capital in wars.
“Hanoi” - the name means “surrounded by river” is the city of ponds, lakes, rivers and bridges. If Hoan Kiem Lake with special green water and the red bridge named The Huc is the symbol of an elegant and charming ancient city; Red river and Long Bien bridge may be seen as the symbol of courageous capital in wars. 

History:
The Long Bien Bridge was constructed from 1989 to 1902 during French’s occupation of the country. Though the bridge was designed by French, it was built directly by Vietnamese workers with indigenous construction materials like woods from Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa province, cement from Hai Phong, Long Tho lime from Hue.
The bridge was formerly named Paul Doumer by the French, but Vietnamese have called it Long Bien or Cai River Bridge for a long time, and Long Bien becomes the most popular name of the bridge. Originally, Long Bien had 19 spans and it was the first steel bridge across Red river in Hanoi, and one of four greatest bridges in the world at the time it was built.

Long Bien was considered the pride, symbol of architecture in the Far East. The bridge was a connection point to transport tons of rice from Northern and Northern Central area of Vietnam to Dien Bien Phu battle, and contributed to the win of Vietnam army against French, 1954.
More than 100 years with decades of war, Long Bien Bridge was bombed many times by air attacks by American army in 1967, 1972; and many spans of the bridge were destroyed. The left spans still remaining today remind us of an unforgettable past. The bridge, hence, is not only a traffic construction, a nice architecture, but also a living historical relic.
Travel Guide:
Today, Long Bien is only one of the five bridges crossing the Red river of Hanoi. However, it may be the most special bridge with unique historic, architectural, and cultural value. It is the only bridge in Hanoi where all the riders have to go in the left hand side, where tourists can take a walk and taste mouthwatering desserts offered by vendors (see 5 street vendors you should not miss out in Hanoi), where Hanoians can buy fresh vegetable or fish for the dinner from the small afternoon market on the bridge.
Many people living and visiting Hanoi said that Long Bien Bridge is the best place to look at the sunrise or the sunset and taking nice photos of alluvial patch. Many brides and grooms choose Long Bien Bridge as nice background in their wedding albums. Many tourists come here to visit a historical construction and view nice scenery. Many youngsters, teenagers take nice photos to keep memories of youth on the bridge or in the middle of alluvial patch with full of green tree. Many vendors and housewives still come here every afternoon for an open air market.
And many trains pass the bridge each day.

That way, Long Bien – the oldest bridge in Hanoi is still living and sharing the daily life with Hanoians silently. If you have a chance to visit Hanoi, do not forget to take a walk on Long Bien Bridge for sight seeing, feeling the daily life of Hanoians, and enjoying peaceful moments at the present but not forgetting memorable past.
How to get here 
You can rent a motorbike and remember go on the left hand side of the bridge, or walk from the centre of Hanoi to here ( just more then 1km from the Old Quarter to Long Bien bridge).

We can take photos or view Ha noi from here. Next to Long Bien bridge, there is Long Bien train station

Long Bien market is always so crowded

See the different colors of bustling Hanoi:

Tours going to Long Bien bridge
Hanoi- Bat Trang biking full day

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B52 Dien Bien Phu flag hanoi Hanoi flag tower helicopter museum plane tower war

Location and History
Hanoi Flag Tower at the age of nearly 200 years is renowned as one of the symbols of Hanoi. The construction began in 1805 and completed in 1812, the 11th year of Gia Long time, Nguyen dynasty, five years after construction time of Flag Tower in Hue.
From 1894 to 1897, the French colonial destroyed most of the construction in Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and Flag Tower is one of rare architecture works which still remain today. Moreover, the image of Flag Tower has been embedded in many remarkable historic events; for example, the flag of Vietnam flew on the top of the Flag Tower for the first time in 1945, after The August Revolution’s success, and on October 10th, 1954- the capital libration day; image of Flag Tower is printed on the money paper issued firstly by the Bank of Vietnam.
Since 1986, there are always a national flag (24m2) flying on the top of Hanoi Flag Tower. One flag is only used within two to three weeks on average, so in one year, there are about 20 flags alternately flying in the sky of Hanoi.
Located on Dien Bien Phu street, at the center of the city, Hanoi Flag Tower is a historic attraction that tourists who arrive in Hanoi should visit once.

Architecture
Hanoi Flag Tower is 33m height with three platforms and the eight-side tower, and 41m height consisting of the flag pole. With original construction purpose as an observatory; Hanoi Flag Tower offers a breathtaking view for the watchers standing on it.

 The top of the tower is an eight-side room with eight windows corresponding to eight directions, offering enough space for six people standing inside. “Ngenh huc” means “Welcome dawn’s sunlight”, “Hoi quang” means “Reflecting the light”, and “Huong minh” means “Direct to the light” are alternately inscribed on the eastern, western and southern door of the tower. At the northern door, there are two stairs in the left and the right hand side.

It's so pleasantly surprised upon venturing inside as the area holds much more than just the flag.
And the view is good too, looks over the museum grounds: the planes and helicopter etc in the yard outside the museum.

Engine of B-52D Bomber

Hanoi Flag tower open daily from 8 am to 5 pm .Close on Monday, Friday.

Beside Hanoi Flag Tower, There are lots of tourist attraction in Hanoi
Hanoi Old quarter
Quan Thanh temple
Hanoi handicraft villages

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