In 1010 King Ly Cong Uan transferred the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh province) to Dai La which ancient documents described as “rich, prosperous, abundant and animated”. The capital was renamed Thang Long (Ascending Dragon) to mark the rise of this new, feudal nation. For almost ten centuries, with only a short interruption in the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945 AD),Hanoi has been the administrative and political centre of Vietnam.

Forbidden City:

Under the Ly (1010- 1225 AD) and Tran (1225-1400 AD) a luxurious palace was girded by thick walls, at first made from earth and later from bricks. These ramparts were named the Dragon – Phoenix Citadel. The central part of the royal palace where the king lived was known as the Forbidden City. Mandarins, nobles and even the princes were forbidden from entering this area without the king’s permission.

During the Ly Dynasty, the Forbidden City covered just 1.5 sq.Km. The building was lavishly decorated with green and yellow ceramic tiles on the roofs and sculptures of dragon, phoenixes and lotus blossoms. Phoenixes, dragons, tortoises and unicorns – called the “Four Sacred Beings”- were often used as royal symbols.

The Outer Citadel, which surrounded the Forbidden City, included many palaces inhabited by members of the court. A canal linked the palace with the Red River so that royal boats could sail directly into the Forbidden City.

During the Tran dynasty (1225- 1400 AD),the citadel was enlarged. According to a document dating from 1285 AD, the year in which Chinese invaders acquired Hanoi: “The Forbidden City has five entrance and

 the main palace is a nine compartment building known as the Thien An (Heaven Rest) Palace.”

Other noteworthy building inside the royal citadel included the Bat Giac palace, where kings met visiting dignitaries and the Watchtower Gazebo, where nobles gathered to watch soldiers fight elephants and tigers for sport.

In 1428, after Le Loi’s victory over the Chinese Minh invaders, the Le Dynasty established itself in the Thang Long Citadel. While maintaining the major palaces built during the Ly and Tran Dynasties, the Le Kings expanded the citadel to the east.

Few traces remain:                                                                

Just as successive dynasties left their mark on the citadel, so did renovations, fighting and natural disasters. Few traces of the citadel as it was during the Ly and Tran Dynasties remain. The only relics from the Le Dynasty (1428- 1524 AD) are two stone dragon statues which now stand beside the stairs leading up to the Kinh Thien temple.

During the 19^th century, the citadel shrunk. Some buildings were dismantled and transported to the new court in Hue. Even the Hanoi Citadel, built during the Nguyen Dynasty, was all but destroyed at the end of the 19^th century in fighting versus the French. Still standing is the Northern gate, where nicks made by bullets remain visible.

Princess pavilion:

In August 199, the Ministry of Defence turned four important archaeological sites over to the municipality of Hanoi. One of these was the one- time Princess Pavilion, located on the present-day Hoang Dieu street. In October 1998 Vietnam’s Institute of Archaeology began this site.

The princess pavilion, also known as the Back or Northern Star Pavilion, is thought to have served as a rest house for the king‘s female consorts.