The program “Heritage Tourism Journeys in the City of Hanoi” will introduce four distinctive heritage exploration routes, offering residents and visitors a comprehensive experience as they discover the capital. The program is scheduled to be officially launched on December 3 at Quan Thanh Temple.
Quan Thanh Temple. Illustrative photo
The launch program aims to promote and enhance the value of Hanoi’s tangible heritage, intangible heritage, and digital heritage through four pilot journeys, interactive maps, the H-Heritage application, and a QR code system deployed at numerous heritage sites in central Hanoi.
The first journey, Thang Long Tu Tran (the Four Sacred Guardian Temples of Thang Long), takes participants to four revered temples, Bach Ma, Voi Phuc, Quan Thanh, and Kim Lien, representing the eastern, western, southern, and northern directions of the ancient Thang Long Citadel. This journey honors Hanoi’s sacred cultural identity and unique spiritual structure, where people and belief systems are closely intertwined to ensure social well-being.
The second journey connects eight Mother Goddess temples, including the Shrine of Lieu Hanh Mother Goddess and other Holy Mothers, representing the Tam Phu (Three Realms) belief system, an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. The journey introduces rituals, music, dance, and the spirit of Mother Goddess veneration, with destinations such as Dong Ha, Vu Thach, Ba Kieu, Xuan Yen, Dau Temple, Vong Tien, Phu Tay Ho, and the incense altar at Long Bien Railway Station.
The third journey, Communal Houses of Craft Ancestors, leads visitors through communal houses in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where the legacy of the founders of traditional crafts is preserved. Each communal house stands as a testament to the excellence of craftsmanship and the enduring creativity of ancient Thang Long, including Kim Ngan (gold and silver crafting), Dong Lac (traditional bodice making), Pha Truc Lam (leather and footwear), Ha Vi (lacquerware), Phuc Hau (mirror making), Tu Thi (embroidery), Lo Ren (blacksmithing), and Ngu Xa (bronze casting).
The fourth journey explores pagodas associated with the name of Monk An Thien (Phuc Dien), one of the most prominent patriarchs of Vietnamese Buddhism. From Bao Thien Pagoda, now preserved only in memory, to Lien Tri, Ham Long, and Lien Phai Pagodas, the journey recreates the historical and spiritual flow of Thang Long, where memory, technology, and belief converge to tell a story of loss, continuity, renewal, and heritage preservation.
These heritage journeys are designed not only for domestic and international tourists but can also be integrated into extracurricular activities for Hanoi’s school and university students, enabling younger generations to engage with heritage through hands-on experiences and experiential learning methods.
This initiative is part of the FEF-R Patrimoine Project, funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (through the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Vietnam – IFV), and implemented in cooperation with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (USSH-VNU), the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO), and partner organizations.
The “Hanoi Heritage Tourism Journeys” program was developed to identify, research, connecting, and introducing these heritage assets to the public through modern approaches that combine academic research, student training, and digital technology applications.
Minh Anh