The Hanoi Citadel is a rare example of ancient Vietnamese architecture that has survived to the present day. The Flag Tower is part of this enormous complex, whose construction began as early as the 11th century during the reign of the Ly dynasty, while the subsequent Tran, Le, and Nguyen dynasties expanded its territory and added new structures right up until the 19th century.
The tower, over 30 meters high, was built in 1812. During the conquest of Vietnam, the French colonizers did not destroy it, but used it as an observation and communication point. Incidentally, the tower's original purpose was not military at all, but scientific - an observatory was planned here.
Today, the red-and-yellow national flag of Vietnam permanently flies at its summit. It was first hoisted here in 1945, immediately after the August Revolution.
Since 2010, the tower has been open to tourists visiting the Military History Museum, and in the same year the entire Hanoi Citadel was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
