Seeing Hanoi from the height of 350m of Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower at dawn, it is a youthful city, sparkling with new roads and hundreds of high buildings now. It is very different with an ancient capital that we have known for a long time. The capital is stunning as the claim of our ancestors in the folk “The landscape of Hanoi city is beautiful as a picture.”

Hanoi, view from above/ Photo: Le Viet

Hanoi- a youthful city

Hanoi is developing very rapidly. From the tower’s view, we can see the landscape along the big road leading to Thang Long bridge that is crossing over the Hong (Red) River.

It is a two-storey bridge that was built about 30 years ago. Looking to the right side about two kilometres, we can see Nhat Tan bridge - a new modern bridge that has been operated for five years.

Hanoi also has other bridges of Thanh Tri, Chuong Duong Vinh Tuy, Dong Tru and Nhat Tan. Of which, Nhat Tan bridge is designed as the largest cable-stayed bridge in the Southeast Asia. In the near future, Tu Lien bridge will be built across the Hong (Red) River.

Moreover, from now to 2030, Hanoi plans to build 14 new bridges across the two rivers of Hong (Red) and Duong. The works are hoped to reduce traffic congestions of the rapidly-developing city. The bridges have realized the imagination of our ancestors in the folk “The way to Hanoi is like a painting of dragons.”

Nhat Tan bridge/ Photo: Hong Ha

Opposite to the modern Nhat Tan bridge is Long Bien bridge, an iron “dragon” that is over a hundred years old.

Nhat Tan bridge represents the present while Long Bien bridge represents the past. Long Bien bridge has witnessed many ups and downs of the national history, from the cold nights that soldiers crossed over the Hong (Red) river to Viet Bac war zone to the days that Hanoi’s army and people stood shoulder to shoulder helping soldiers to transport weapons and food to the battlefield in the south.

Long Bien bridge is one of the symbols of the heroic capital. Hanoi has had dozens of new streets along with bridges and satellite urban areas. There are beautiful streets such as Thep Moi, To Huu, Vo Nguyen Giap, Vo Chi Cong and Pham Van Dong. 

Especially, if you pull a big telescope from the top view of the tower, you can see urban areas of Viet Hung, Vinhomes Riverside, Ecopark or Ocean Park with hundreds of modern high-rise buildings. In general, the expansion of the capital is really significant over the past 12 years.

Besides, there will be many industrial zones, stretching over hundreds of kilometres around the five satellite towns. That is a sparkling image of Hanoi until 2030, a vision towards 2050.

Long bien bridge/ Photo: Kinh te & Do thi

Viewing from the 72-storey tower, we can also see Ba Vi Mountain with white clouds floating in the sky blue. The more we see, the more we feel a natural feng-shui layout, creating the artery protecting Hanoi. 

It proves that the selection of King Ly Thai To, who chose Hanoi to be the country’s capital, is right event though the city has experienced over 1,000 years of history with many ups and downs.

City for peace

Hanoi’s administration has always implemented the goal of striving to build a green, civilized and modern capital. The move aims to maintain the title “City for Peace” that Hanoi was recognized by UNESCO over 20 years ago.

The title "City for peace" is also honored by the convergence of the nations of ASEAN and the world. Hanoi changes every day and every hour after Vietnam integrated into WTO and brought economic benefits to neighboring countries.

Hanoi always welcomes mutual co-operation for mutual benefits and national harmony because peace is the aspiration of the nation. The capital has properly shown the spirit of Trang An people – elegant and love peace. Thus, UNESCO named Hanoi the "City for peace" basing on these foundations.

Additionally, many legacies have still been preserved in the ancient capital.

Hanoi's Ring road 3 from above/ Photo: Thuy Duong

That is Hanoi seen from the height of 350m. Suddenly, the image of King Ly Thai To’s boats that moved from Hoa Lu Citadel to Thang Long after the King chose the land to be the country’s capital in 1010, came to my mind.

Memories of a thousand years returned. Then the song "Hanoians" (Nguoi Hanoi) echoed in the blue sky. An endlessly-passionate melody echoed “Here Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, Hong (Red) river, West lake. This is the soul of mountains and rivers for thousands of years ... Our beloved Hanoi.”