Hanoi Flag Tower

The Flag Tower, in Hanoi

The Flag Tower of Hanoi, Cột cờ Hà Nội, is one of the rare monuments of the town to have crossed intact the colonisation, the Japanese occupation and the war, on the site of the former citadel. The Hanoi audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this military observation tower built at the beginning of the nineteenth century under the emperor Gia Long, become a symbol of the capital.

The tower that crossed the wars

This tower is one of the very rare monuments of Hanoi to have crossed intact the French colonisation, the Japanese occupation and the bombings of the Vietnam War; as such, it is a precious witness of the history of the town. It is on the former site of the imperial citadel. Built between 1805 and 1812 under the emperor Gia Long, founder of the Nguyễn dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of Vietnam, it served originally as a military observation tower and a signalling post, allowing to watch the surroundings and to transmit messages by signals. About thirty-three metres high, or forty-one metres with the mast and the flag, it is composed of three great superimposed platforms in the shape of pyramid trunks, topped by a central octagonal body pierced with small openings in the shape of a flower, a fan or a crescent, that let the light and the air pass. An interior spiral staircase leads to the top, from where you discover a fine view over the town and the old vestiges of the citadel. When France destroyed a great part of the imperial citadel, the tower was spared and kept, becoming little by little one of the symbols of Hanoi. Today, a great red flag with a yellow star flies at its top, and it figures among the emblems of the capital. A historic tower and a symbol of Hanoi, the Flag Tower is a fine stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

Here you discover one of the rare monuments of Hanoi to have crossed intact the colonisation, the Japanese occupation and the war, built from 1805 to 1812 under the emperor Gia Long as a military observation tower; about thirty-three metres high, with three superimposed platforms and an octagonal body with flower and crescent openings, it is topped by the national flag and offers a fine view over the town. The Flag Tower is a symbol of Hanoi. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Flag Tower lies in the Ba Đình district, in Hanoi, on the former site of the citadel, near the museum of military history, reachable on foot. It follows its own days and opening hours, variable, and access may be subject to a fee. It is best to enquire before coming.

Why is the Flag Tower of Hanoi remarkable?

Because it is one of the very rare monuments of the town to have crossed intact the French colonisation, the Japanese occupation and the bombings of the Vietnam War; built from 1805 to 1812 under the emperor Gia Long as a military observation tower, about thirty-three metres high, it is topped by the national flag and counts among the symbols of Hanoi.

Where is the Flag Tower in Hanoi?

In the Ba Đình district, in Hanoi, on the former site of the citadel, in Vietnam.