Walking tour to hit Hanoi highlights

December 10, 2016 | 10:34

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The Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) will host a city walk for those looking to explore Ba Dinh and the “French Colonial Quarter” on December 18.

Presidential Palace right next to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square (Photo: staticflickr.com)

From 9.30am to 12pm, the English-speaking tour will give an overview of the changes to Hanoi that started in the French period (1869-1954). The tour will touch on the development of the education system, town planning and architecture (including that of the political and diplomatic centre) as well as other information regarding past and present Hanoi.

Starting at Chu Van An School (established by the French as the High School of the Protectorate, and now one of the oldest institutions for secondary education in Indochina), the group will make their way to the iconic Ba Dinh Square and discuss about the key government buildings in the area.

The tour will then stroll along Chua Mot Cot street and the surrounding avenues, passing former villas now home to various embassies.

The leisurely walk will continue to Dien Bien Phu and into Hoang Dieu streets, ending at Cua Bac (North Gate) and the Cua Bac Church on Phan Dinh Phung street.

VNS

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