Hanoi, the capital of Viet Nam, is often celebrated for its centuries-old architecture, rich culture, and bustling Old Quarter. Tourists know it as a vibrant city filled with motorbikes, pho stalls, and French colonial charm.
However, beneath the familiar surface lie many lesser-known aspects of Hanoi that reveal the city’s complexity, history, and quiet mysteries. Here are several things about Hanoi that may surprise even seasoned travelers.
An Underground Air Defense System Lies Beneath the Streets
Few visitors realize that beneath Hanoi’s streets lies a network of wartime shelters and bunkers. During the Viet Nam War (known locally as the American War), Hanoi was heavily bombed. To protect its citizens and government officials, the city developed an underground defense system, including bomb shelters beneath major buildings like the Metropole Hotel.
These tunnels and bunkers were kept secret for decades, only rediscovered and opened to the public in recent years. The shelters are a chilling yet fascinating reminder of the city’s resilience and ingenuity during wartime.
Long Bien Bridge Was Designed by Eiffel’s Company
Spanning the Red River, Long Bien Bridge is a rusted steel relic often overshadowed by modern bridges and highways. However, what many don’t know is that the bridge was designed by Daydé & Pillé, a company founded by the same Gustave Eiffel who designed the Eiffel Tower.
Completed in 1903 during the French colonial period, Long Bien Bridge was once considered an engineering marvel of Southeast Asia. Today, it serves as a historical landmark and a symbol of Hanoi’s enduring ties to its colonial past.
Hanoi’s Lakes Are Steeped in Myth and Legend
While Hoan Kiem Lake is famous for its central location and the legend of the magical sword, many of Hanoi’s other lakes are tied to equally fascinating myths. For example, West Lake (Tây Hồ), the city’s largest freshwater lake, is associated with several ancient stories, including tales of drowned palaces, golden buffalo, and haunting spirits.
Locals believe these lakes are spiritually significant and serve as guardians of the city’s energy, a belief rooted in the ancient Vietnamese concept of geomancy, or phong thủy.
There Is a Street Dedicated Entirely to Bookstores
Nestled quietly near Hoan Kiem Lake, Đinh Lễ Street is often called “Hanoi’s Book Street.” It is lined with small bookstores selling everything from classic Vietnamese literature to modern fiction and academic texts.
While many cities have literary corners, Đinh Lễ is unique for its intimate, community-driven atmosphere. Locals often gather here to browse, chat, and even debate over books, reflecting a side of Hanoi not often seen in tourist brochures—its intellectual and literary spirit.
The City Hosts a Hidden Mosaic Mural That’s One of the Longest in the World
Running along the Red River dike, the Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural stretches nearly 4 kilometers and was completed in 2010 to mark the city’s 1,000th anniversary. What makes it remarkable is that it was created from ceramic pieces from traditional craft villages throughout Viet Nam.
Despite its global record-breaking length, many visitors overlook it entirely because it’s located along a traffic-heavy road and is not part of standard city tours. However, for those who seek it out, it offers a colorful, sprawling visual narrative of Vietnamese culture and folklore.
Train Street Isn’t Just for Instagram, It’s a Living Neighborhood
Train Street, where a railway track runs narrowly between rows of residential buildings, has become a viral social media destination. But what’s often forgotten is that this area is a functioning neighborhood. People have lived here for generations, and trains still pass just inches from their front doors.
Daily life continues, children play, families cook, and laundry hangs overhead, all while trains rumble through a few times a day. It’s a vivid illustration of how Hanoians have adapted to their urban environment with creativity and resilience.
