Statistics show that there are nearly 3000 French colonial houses in Hanoi, including colonial public buildings, villas, and townhouses built by the French between 1890 and 1930. The most recognizable feature of Hanoi’s French houses is that they were built in two floors (a few have more than two), painted with light yellow lime, and highlighted with blue wooden windows.
Since our daily personal street food tours cover different neighborhoods of Hanoi, from the traditional Old Quarter to historical French Quarter of the city – once known as ‘Paris of the East’, we’ve put together in this entry alluring French colonial gems we often walk by. If you’re searching for popular French architecture in Hanoi, this post is for you.
To learn about when the French influences on the city, including time of control, what to see in the French Quarter, or why houses were painted with golden color… please check out this blog post about Hanoi French Quarter.
1. State Bank of Vietnam (49 Ly Thai To Street)
The today State Bank of Vietnam building used to be the Hanoi branch of the Bank for Indochina (Banque de l’Indochine), which was established in 1875 in Paris (France) to issue banknotes and coins for the French colonies in Asia.
The oriental decorative motifs used to decorate the building’s facade are seal and octagonal patterns, which is popular in the architecture of ancient Vietnamese communal houses and pagodas. Its French built branches in the city port of Hai Phong and Saigon also have unique architectures.
2. Government Guest House (12 Ngo Quyen Street)
This beautiful house, built in 1918, was formerly the residence of the Governor of Tonkin. The house was designed by architect Adolphe Bussy in the French classical architectural style. During the first and second Indochina wars, under the name Tonkin Palace, the building witnessed numerous historic events, as well as the imprint of President Ho Chi Minh who worked here in 1945.
3. Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hotel (15 Ngo Quyen Street)
Opened since 1901 as Grand Métropole Hotel, this five-star Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotelis not only the iconic colonial hotel in Hanoi, but also one of the most important brands among Vietnam’s luxury hotels. We often advise our clients, those who don’t stay at this hotel, to stop by for a drink at its café terrace or a cocktail by the pool at the Bamboo Bar to feel the interesting colonial influences.
4. Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
Built from 1901 to 1911, the building was designed by architects Broyer, Harley, and François Lagisquet in a neoclassical style, which is similar to the design of the Opéra Garnier Theater (France). The theater at that time was used as a place to perform classical art forms such as Opera, chamber music, drama… serving the French elite, the French elite and a few wealthy Vietnamese.
Today, this 900 seats Hanoi Opera House is regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Hanoi French Quarter. Unfortunately, there’s no access to the public unless you go to a performance. But you can walk around the ground, and there are also nice coffee shops and bakeries to visit.
5. National History Museum (216 Tran Quang Khai Street)
One block east of the Opera House, the building that houses Vietnam National Museum of History is a fanciful blend of Vietnamese palace and French villa. Designed by Ernest Hebrard, the construction was started in 1926 and finished in 1932.
The museum reflects Vietnam’s evolution from Paleolithic times to Independence. Exhibits, including many plaster reproductions, are arranged in chronological order on two floors covering everything from prehistory to 1945, while the building across the street at 216 Tran Quang Khai covers the post-1945 era.
6. Trang Tien Plaza (24 Hai Ba Trung Street)
This is one of the city’s well-known shopping centers, built by the French colonials in 1901. The building became the state-owned shopping mall in 1960, when basic goods including such as fabrics, clothes, spare parts, bicycles… were sold with stamps. Since 2002, the building was renovated and renamed Trang Tien Plaza Trade Center, selling goods luxury products from all the world.
7. Hanoi Post Office (75 Dinh Tien Hoang Street)
Located at 75 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, which runs along the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Post Office is therefore often referred to as Lakeside Post Office. The building was one of the first public works built by the French Colonials in Hanoi, it was designed by the renowned architect Henri Vildieu and built in the years 1893 – 1899 with the neoclassical architectural style.
8. St. Joseph’s Cathedral of Hanoi (40 Nha Chung Street)
The Hanoi Cathedral was inaugurated in 1886, designed in the style of European medieval Gothic architecture following the model of Notre Dame Cathedral with curved domes facing the sky. Publicly known as “the Big Church”, the Joseph Cathedral survives the wars and times, and still remains intact in a good condition.
Today, the church is not only a place of worship for local Catholics, but also a destination for Hanoi visitors. The best time to visit this beautiful cathedral is the weekend, when the Catholic ceremonies take place. After your visit, there is a good Pho restaurant - Pho Ly Quoc Su, within 2 minutes walk.
9. Hoa Lo Prison (1 Hoa Lo Street)
The French named it Prison Centrale, or Central Prison. It was one of the largest prisons of the French colonialists in Indochina, preliminarily designed by architect Henri Vildieu in 1895 and built in the years 1896 – 1899. Today, the prison became a historical relic, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.
10. Presidential Palace (2 Hung Vuong Street)
The Presidential Palace was constructed in 1906 by Paul Doumer, the French Governor General at the time. Later, in the book “Biography of a City”, William Logan attributed to the construction of the place as “overwhelming passion to construct a colonial capital that would reflect the glory of France”.
Like most French Colonial architecture, the palace is pointedly European. The only visual cues that it’s located in Vietnam at all are mango trees growing on the grounds. The today palace hosts government meetings and but does not open to the public, we can walk around the grounds and visit other nearby Ho Chi Minh relics.
11. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1 Ton That Dam Street)
The current headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the former Finance Department of Indochina, designed by architect Ernest Hebrard in 1924, started construction in 1925 and completed in 1928 according to the detailed planning project of the administrative center. The building is locally known as the house of 100 roofs.
12. Dong Xuan Market (15 Cau Dong Street)
The Dong Xuan Market, located in the center of Hanoi Old Quarter, was built by the French in 1889. The whole market consists of 5 adjacent houses with holes like a honeycomb, and it was known as the largest trading center in the North Vietnam at the time. After a fire in 1995, the market was rebuilt into 3 floors with 2,000 local wholesale and retail sale stalls.
13. Hang Dau Water Tower (Hang Dau Street)
Hang Dau Water Tower was built in 1894 to provide water for the citizens as well as Western soldiers in the Old Quarter. From outside, the tower looks like an ancient cylinder fortress. Since 1954, the tower has been abandoned and stood in its original form. Today, it becomes a special landmark in Hanoi, and its presence appears as evidence for a historical period of Hanoi capital.
13. Cua Bac Church (56 Phan Dinh Phung Street)
Also designed by architect Ernest Hébrard, this Roman Catholic church was built in front of the Northern Gate (Cua Bac) of the ancient Hanoi Citadel in 1932. The Church possesses unique features combining European style and ancient Vietnamese architectural style. Today, it’s one of the three major churches of Hanoi, together with Ham Long Church and Saint Joseph Cathedral.
14. VNU University of Science (19 Le Thanh Tong Street)
The building of VNU University of Science today was the site of the Institute of Indochina University, designed in 1926 by French architect Ernest Hébrard. This beautiful architecture is walking distance from the Hanoi’s Opera Theatre (450m) and Vietnam National Museum of History.
15. National Library of Vietnam (31 Trang Thi Street)
The National Library of Vietnam (French: Bibliothèque Nationale du Viet Nam) is the national library in Vietnam and it is located at 31 Trang Thi Street. It was built in 1917 and became the central library of Indochina.
16. Chu Van An High School (10 Thuy Khue Street)
Established by the French authorities in 1908 as High School of the Protectorate (French: Lycée du Protectorat), Chu Van An High School is one of the oldest institutions for secondary education in South East Asia.
The school was known as Pomelo School (before 1945) and is is one of the three magnet high schools, along with Hanoi-Amsterdam High School and Nguyen Hue High School. It’s also one of the three national high schools for the gifted in Vietnam along with Quoc Hoc High School in Hue, and Le Hong Phong High School in Ho Chi Minh City.
17. National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (1 Yersin Street)
Formerly known as Hanoi Pasteur Institute, which was one of four microbiology research institutes in Indochina belonging to Pasteur Paris Institute. The institute was named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine, including disinfection and vaccines for anthrax and rabies viruses.
The building was designed by architect Roger Gaston, and built in 1927. Its architecture is very suitable for the region’s climate and landscape. Today, it’s regarded as a heritage, a typical tropicalized architecture in Hanoi.
18. Hanoi Railway Station (120 Le Duan Street)
Located in the Southwest of Hanoi Old Quarter, Hanoi Railway Station was built by the French colonials in 1895 to 1902. Designed by Henri Vildieu, the station was also one of the largest stations in South East Asia at that time. The central hall, which was bombed in 1972, was rebuilt in 1976 preserving the historic side wings.
Following are the charming French colonial built houses in the Hanoi French Quarter:
Hanoi People Committee on Le Lai Street
Ministry of Trade on Hai Ba Trung Street
Indonesia Embassy on Ngo Quyen Street
Commitee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics
A French House on Tran Hung Dao Street
Quatar Embassy on Tran Hung Dao Street
French Embassy on Tran Hung Dao Street
A building of Vietnam Youth Union on Tran Hung Dao Street
A private French house on Tran Hung Dao Street
A French House on Tran Hung Dao Street
A Hanoi police department on Tran Hung Dao Street
Ministry of Transport on Ly Thuong Kiem Street
Police Museum on Ly Thuong Kiet Street
A French House on Ha Hoi Lane
A French house cafe on Tran Quoc Toan Street
Trung Vương High School
The T-Place on Hai Ba Trung Street
Supreme People Court on Hai Ba Trung Street
The Residence of the Australian Ambassador
A French House on Tran Phu Street
A French House on Tran Phu Street
Singapore Embassy on Tran Phu Street
A French house on Tran Phu Street
American MIA Office on Tran Phu Street
A French house on Tran Phu Street
A French house on Tran Phu Street
Ministry of Justice of Vietnam
French houses on Khuc Hao Street
Embassy on Le Hong Phong Street
Spain Embassy on Le Hong Phong Street
Embassy of Azerbaijan on Le Hong Phong Street
Embassy of Azerbaijan on Le Hong Phong Street
Czech Republic Embassy on Chu Van An Street
A French House on Le Hong Phong Street
A French House on Le Hong Phong Street
A French House in Ba Dinh Area
A French House in Ba Dinh Area
An Embassy in Ba Dinh Area
A French House on Hung Vuong Street
A French House in the political Ba Dinh Area
A French House on Le Hong Phong Street
A French House on Chua Mot Cot Street
A French House on Dien Bien Phu Street
A French House on Dien Bien Phu Street
A French House on Dien Bien Phu Street
Malaysia Embassy on Dien Bien Phu Street
A French House on Hoang Dieu Street
Residence of General Vo Nguyen Giap
A French House on Dien Bien Phu Street
As foodie guides, we love sharing the local culture while exploring the food. Join Flavors of Hanoi’s pesonal foodie tour guide on our daily walking Hanoi food tour, and explore the best of what the city has to offer. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep updated on what’s new and what’s interesting in Hanoi.
