Thang Long, which is Ha Noi’s centre nowadays, was chosen by Ly Thai To, the founding king of Ly Dynasty, as the capital of Dai Viet Kingdom (nowadays Vietnam) since Autumn of 1010. Thang Long means ascending dragon, symbolizing the will and thirst for independence of the Vietnamese people after more than one thousand years of Chinese domination. Since then, Thang Long was almost continuously the capital city of Dai Viet Kingdom through different reigns: Ly (1010 – 1225), Tran (1226 – 1397), Early Le (1428 – 1527), Mac (1 572 – 1592), and Le – Trinh (1592 – 1789). Since 1945, it became the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In the periods when it was not the capital, Thang Long still remained a central city in the vast area of Bac Thanh or North Vietnam (1789 – 183 l), Ha Noi Province (1 83 1 – 1888), or of Bac Ky (also known as Tonkin) and the French-niled Federation of Indochina (1 888 – 1945). During the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1943, the capital was rmoved to Hue. In 1945, Ha Noi was chosen by the Government of Democratic Republic of Vietnam as the capital.
Previously, from the 7th to 9th century, under the domination of feudal China, it was also chosen by the ruling governments as Annam Prefecture (An Nam Do ho Phu), which included the North and North Central of present Vietnam.
From 11th to 18th century, as a capital city, Thang Long was constructed to adapt to physical features of the area that endowed with rivers and lakes. The citadel system incorporated three rings of rampart. The outer ring was Dai La Citadel, which ran along Red River in the East, To Lich River in the North and West, and Kim Nguu River in the South. Consequently, Dai La citadel knctioned itself as both an outer defensive rampart for the whole capital city and a complete dyke system. The second ring, known with many names throughout different periods, was nevertheless called in a common name: Hoang Thanh (Imperial Citadel), concentrating central governmental bodies. The third ring was the Forbidden City (Cam Thanh), where the King and royal family’s residence located. The architectural structures (system of palaces) were most densely concentrated in the Forbidden City and Imperial City, whose centre was the Can Nguyen Palace (later known as Thien An Palace or Kinh Thien Palace) built on a hillock called Nung Mound. Although slight displacement was observed, in general, the location of citadel rings and architectural structures has remained unchanged over different periods.
The Cultural Heritage Complex of Thang Long – Ha Noi consists of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Thang Long Tu Tran and the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temples of Literature – Imperial College)
The Thang Long Imperial Citadel (approximately 50 hectares square)
The present relic complex is located in Ba Dinh District, roughly surrounded by Nguyen Tri Phuong, Phan Dinh Phung, Dien Bien Phu, Tran Phu, Hoang Van Thu and Hung Vuong Streets. Relics in the areas of Forbidden City and Imperial Citadel that situated on the central axis of the old citadel are the Cua Bac (North Gate), Hau Lau, Kinh Thien Palace, Doan Mon, Flag Tower and the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu Street. Relics found on the ground remain relatively intact and have been well preserved. Archaeological artefacts underground have been discovered and studied in many years. Researchers have found out many architectural vestiges and artefacts from the Chinese domination’s period ago, Dinh, and Early Le Dynasties) and from the Ly, Tran- Le and Nguyen Dynasties.
Specifically, in the areas of Congress House and Ba Dinh Assembly Hall at 18 Hoang Dieu Street, significant architectural vestiges and artefacts of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel were unearthed.
From December 2002 to the beginning of 2004, Vietnam Archaeology Institute has excavated on a large scale the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu street, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi with total area of 19,000 m2. This is biggest archaeological excavation scale in Vietnam and South East Asia. Here it has been discovered a complex of abundant relics and vestiges from Dai La citadel (VII – IX century) to Thang Long Citadel (XI – XVIII century) and Hanoi citadel (XIX century).
In the whole area, cultural layers appear in all locations with cultural and historical vestiges of Thang Long – Hanoi during the period of 1,300 years of history. In general, the cultural layers often exist in the depth of lm downwards with thickness of 2.0-3.50m. At the location of some excavation holes such as A10 – All, B3 – B9 and D4 – D6 it can be recognized the relics of different periods lay on each other, from the depth of 0.90m to 1.90m that is the cultural layer of Le dynasty from XV century to XVIII century; from the depth of 1.90m- 3m to be the cultural layer of Ly and Tran dynasties XI century to XIV century; depth of 3m – 4.20m, the cultural layer of the North called Dai La period or Pre- Thang Long period (VII-IX century). Anyhow there is a complex and different change among the different cultural layers, but in general it is changed as above mentioned.
In cultural layers, it is always found out architectural vestiges typical for Pre- Thang Long period or Dai La period (VII – IX century), Ly period (XI – XII), Tran period (XI1 – XIV), Le period (XV-XVIII), and Nguyen period. The earliest architectural vestige belongs to Dai La period and latest of Nguyen period.
The numbers of founded vestiges are many but the majority is brick, tile and ceramic wares. In each period the vestiges have a specific feature.
During V-VI century, there are grey red bricks, the boarders printed with olive shape; blue glazed ceramic bowls.
During WI-IX century, there are many bricks, tiles, especially bricks inscribed with Chinese characters “Giang Tay quan” in grey colour; head of the tiles are decorated with the faces of sacred animals, joker, lotus, …
In the X century, some bricks and tiles are found, typical is the red bricks, the brick surface inscribed in Chinese characters “Dai Viet quoc quan thanh chuyen”; also found out are ridge tiles with statue of bird couple; earthen wares; …
In Ly dynasty (XI-XI) brick and tile production was strongly developed with various sizes as rectangular and square bricks, the brick face inscribed with Chinese characters “Ly gia de tam Long Thuy Thai Binh tu nien tao” (Made in the 4″ year of Long Thuy Thai Binh, the 3th king of the Ly – 1057); some square bricks decorated with lotus, daisy. The ceramic wares in Ly dynasty with beautiful decoration and sharp colours of pearl, white, green enamel …p roves the high skill of ceramics production techniques in the Ey.
The Tran had continued and developed the artistic of Ly, the ceramic wares with nice decoration of iron brown, white-and-blue colours. The period of the late Le is long and divided into small stages: The beginning of Le, Le-Mac, Restoration of Le.
In the beginning of Le, the typical vestiges are wooden-hammer brick and Yin and Yang tiles with large dimensions, blue-and-white, white ceramic wares of high quality. In the Le – Mac period the tile carved with dragon motif appeared. The dragon motif style in the Le-Mac is almost similar to dragon style carved on the lamp stand in the Mac. On the ceramic wares, the dragon motifs were painted in simple way, not careful in details as in the beginning of Le. Wooden-hammer bricks with medium and small sizes were used both in the Le-Mac and the Restoration of Le. The ceramic wares were abundant but not beautiful as in preceding periods.
Based on the excavation and treatment of items it has been concluded:
This is the first time a complex of relics and items of the central part of Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Ha Noi Ancient Citadel have been discovered with continual cultural and physical changes from Dai La Citadel in Duong and Dinh Dynasties – the beginning of Le Dynasty to Thang Long Imperial city – Dong Do – Dong Kinh in Ly, Tran, the beginning of Le, Mac, Restoration of Le and then Hanoi.
This is the relics location of the most significant in the system of capitals of Vietnam in’ the Ancient and Medieval ages, the convergence point of history, culture of Thang Long – Hanoi, national history of Vietnam over 13 centuries.
This is the first time in Hanoi as well as in the history of Vietnamese ancient architecture the foundation of a complex of high level architecture has been discovered, especially the architectural vestige of the ancient Thang Long capital.