There have been settlements in Hanoi for at least 1500 years and some estimate 3,000 years. In 544, King Ly Nam De evicted the northern invaders and settled in Long Bien (Hanoi). But Hanoi as the official capital dates from 1010 when King Ly Thai To chose the current site. It was the home of the emperors until 1802 when Gia Long transferred the capital to Hue to govern over a unified Vietnam.
Hanoi was an ideal commercial centre at the junction of three rivers and while there was peace, trade grew.
With the French invasion of 1887, Hanoi became the northern, ‘Tonkin’ capital and in 1902 the capital of Indochina, comprising Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
In 1956, after the battle of Dien Bien Phu and the partition of Vietnam at the 17th parallel, Hanoi became the capital of the north.
In 1975 Hanoi once again became the capital of Vietnam.
Hard times were to follow. Reeling from decades of war and trade sanctions, Hanoi still retained its traditions and cultural heritage.
With the loss of aid from the eastern bloc, Doi Moi was introduced in the late 1980s. Hanoi hasn’t looked back.
UNESCO conferences in the late 1980s set up a plan of action to preserve the spirit of the city, its landmarks and traditions.
In 1993 a group of Japanese specialists mapped the city and listed about 1400 buildings that should be preserved. In 1997 the Toulouse, Bruxelles, Hanoi consortium www.hanoi2010.org/uk began the training of young people in the old crafts, making it possible to re-build traditional houses using the old methods. The project is ongoing. It is remarkable that in a city barreling head long into the 21st century, there is still a respect for the old.

We recommend you check out some websites for further historical information and pick up some of the books in our Book section which will give you a greater insight into this city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi
www.hanoi.gov.vn/hanoiwebs/en/hanoi_capital/group1/index.htm

RESOURCES

Friends of Vietnam Heritage: Publications
Bach Ma Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Phu Tay Ho Palace, Quan Thanh Temple, Lan Ong Street, Bat Trang
The Gioi Publishers

FAQ
Huu Noc & Lady Borton
A series of small books that answer Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnamese culture in English and Vietnamese.
The Gioi Publishers

Historical & Cultural Sites around Hanoi
Nguyen Vinh Phuc
The Gioi Publishers, 2000

Historical Remains and Beautiful Places
Nguyen Van Bao
Nha Xuat Ban Hanoi

Origines: The Streets of Vietnam, an Historical Companion
Burke, J. Wills
The Gioi Publishers, Hanoi, 2001

Preserving Hanoi’s Architectural and Landscape Heritage
Ministry of Construction, Research Institute on Architecture
Construction Publishing House, 1999

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Catalogue
Tran Phu
Pr. Co, 1998

Hanoi: Biography of a City
Logan, William S
University of Washington Press, 2000
A must read !

Hanoi Past and Present
Nguyen Vinh Phuc
The Gioi Publishers, 2001

Two Cities, Hanoi and Saigon
Sheehan, Neil
Picador, 1994

Hanoi Adieu
Perkins, Mandaley
Harper Collins, 2005
Written from the diaries of a French colonial soldier

Hanoi Stories
Scott, Pam
New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, 2004

The House on Dream Street
Sachs, Dana

NOVELS

Dumb Luck (So Do)
Vu Trong Phung: translated by Nguyen Nguyet Cam & Peter Zinoman
The University of Michigan Press, 2002
A satirical look at Hanoi society in the 1920s. (my favourite)

MAPS

Hanoi Street Directory
Duong Pho Ha Noi
Cartographic Publishing House, 2006
At 95,000 dong the most useful purchase you’ll make

Vietnam Travel Atlas
Vu The Binh (Editor):
Liskin Corporation. Excellent maps of Vietnam, very useful for planning excursions around Hanoi.

Bookshops on Trang Tien have tourist maps and wall maps