Hoàn Kiem Lake
8 images 2 contributors Shoot freely
Sue Wolfe
About this spot
In the middle of Hanoi is Hoàn Kiem Lake (Sword Lake or Lake of the Restored Sword). Legend has it that in 1428, General Lê Loi was presented a magical sword by the Dragon King. With the help of the sword, Lê Loi defeated the Chinese and established himself as Emperor Lê Thái To. At a later date, the emperor was sailing on Luc Thuy when the Gold Turtle God rose to the surface to reclaim the sword that its master had given the General. The turtle took the sword and disappeared into the lake never to be seen again.
In the middle of the 19th century, Tháp Rùa or Turtle Tower was built on the lake’s island. A musician, who secretly was working for the French, received permission to build the tower in memory of Lê Loi—though he forgot to mention he planned on burying his father there. The plans were discovered, the body removed, and while it was built by a traitor, the tower still stood as a symbol of patriotic pride. During the French occupation, the Vietnamese people would hang the revolutionary flag of Vietnam from the top of the tower in defiance of French rule.
There is a 1-mile loop around the lake, and it is a popular running spot. If you head out early, you may catch the locals practicing t’ai chi on the shore. Don’t be surprised by the color—the lake is green year-round. In fact, at one time the lake was called Luc Thuy Lake (Green Lake).
At the north side of the lake is Ngoc Son Temple and The Huc Bridge. The lake is in the middle of the Old Quarter. The streets around the lake are “pedestrian only” from Friday 7:00 p.m. to Sunday midnight.
In the middle of the 19th century, Tháp Rùa or Turtle Tower was built on the lake’s island. A musician, who secretly was working for the French, received permission to build the tower in memory of Lê Loi—though he forgot to mention he planned on burying his father there. The plans were discovered, the body removed, and while it was built by a traitor, the tower still stood as a symbol of patriotic pride. During the French occupation, the Vietnamese people would hang the revolutionary flag of Vietnam from the top of the tower in defiance of French rule.
There is a 1-mile loop around the lake, and it is a popular running spot. If you head out early, you may catch the locals practicing t’ai chi on the shore. Don’t be surprised by the color—the lake is green year-round. In fact, at one time the lake was called Luc Thuy Lake (Green Lake).
At the north side of the lake is Ngoc Son Temple and The Huc Bridge. The lake is in the middle of the Old Quarter. The streets around the lake are “pedestrian only” from Friday 7:00 p.m. to Sunday midnight.
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