Hanoi flagpole - a proud "red address" in the heart of the capital

Hanoi Flagpole or Hanoi Flag Tower is a special historical relic, one of the symbols of the Capital. This work is considered a "historical witness" to the resilience and indomitability of the people of the Capital during the glorious resistance war against the French.
Hanoi flagpole is one of the tourist destinations in Hanoi that attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. Built in the 19th century, after more than 200 years, the building still exists solidly and majestically in the center of the capital with an ancient, quiet look, tinged with time.
LOCATION OF HANOI FLAG POLE
Hanoi flagpole or Hanoi monument is located at 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, within the campus of the Vietnam Military History Museum. The project was built on the old ground of Tam Mon Citadel during the Le Dynasty in Thang Long Imperial Citadel. This is also your first stop when visiting the Imperial Citadel. With a prime location, visitors can easily find the location of the flagpole. If traveling from the city center, you just need to go along Ton Duc Thang street, turn right to Le Hong Phong, go a little further and you will reach Dien Bien Phu street.

History of Hanoi Flagpole

Construction of the flagpole began in 1805 during the Nguyen Dynasty and took 7 years to complete. Since then, over more than 200 years of history, the Hanoi Flag Tower has been associated with many ups and downs of the capital. During the resistance war against the French and the Americans, the Hanoi Flagpole was used as an observation tower in inner and suburban areas.
When the August Revolution succeeded, 1945 was the first time the Vietnamese national flag - the red flag with a yellow star - was flown atop the Flag Tower.
By 1954, when the National Flag was once again placed on the top of the flagpole, it was also when the resistance war against the French colonialists was completely victorious.
In 1989, Hanoi Flagpole was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic.

The column has a total height of up to 41.4m (including the flag pole), so from afar visitors can easily see the Hanoi Flagpole. The flagpole has a structure of 3 base floors and 1 tower, connecting the floors with a spiral staircase for movement.
The base floors of the flagpole are all built in the shape of a truncated square pyramid, with gradually smaller areas stacked on top of each other. The first floor is 3.1m high, each side is 42.5m long. The second floor is 3.7m high, the sides are 27m, 3 out of 4 doors have letters, including Huong Minh (South door), Nghenh Huc (East door) and Hoi Quang (West door). The 3rd floor is 5.1m high, each side is 12.8m, and has a door to the stairs facing north.

The flagpole's body is 18.2m high, the bottom edge is about 2m wide with an 8-sided cylindrical shape gradually getting smaller upwards. The top of the flagpole looks like an octagonal building with a height of 3.3m, 8 sides with 8 windows. In the middle of the floor there is a 40cm diameter cylinder that rises to the top to hold the flagpole

The National Flag hanging on the top of the flagpole has an area of ​​24m2 (4 x 6m) sewn with non-glossy fabric. The corner of the flag is covered with a ceiling to withstand strong winds. The image of the red flag with a yellow star on top of the flagpole flying in the wind, standing out against the blue sky, has a sacred and heroic meaning.
In the body of the flagpole there are up to 39 fan-shaped ventilation and lighting holes. In addition, there is a 54-step stone spiral staircase that leads visitors to the top of the flagpole.
Thanks to the symmetrical design, the temperature inside the flagpole is always cool even when Hanoi is on its hottest days. In addition, the structure of the up and down doors of the flagpole is also arranged very scientifically to avoid rainwater flowing into the tower.