Hanoi Completes Historic Sword Lake Restoration & Old Quarter Pedestrian Expansion
Hoàn Kiếm Lake, also known as Sword Lake or Tả Vọng Lake in the historical center of Hanoi. Photo cloud.shepherd
Khao Sok National Park
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Discover Khao Sok Lake Tours →HANOI — Hanoi municipal authorities have celebrated the completion of the comprehensive Hoan Kiem Lake Heritage Preservation project, transforming 36 streets in the iconic Old Quarter into a pedestrian-first cultural haven on weekends.
Preserving 1,000 Years of Thang Long Heritage
The restoration included delicate stone embankment stabilization around Turtle Tower (Thap Rua), undergrounding of all electrical cables, and historical architectural restoration of 180 traditional French-Indochinese shop-houses along Hang Gai, Hang Dao, and Ma May streets.
"Hoan Kiem Lake is the beating spiritual heart of Hanoi. This project balances heritage conservation with pedestrian accessibility and vibrant night tourism," said Hanoi urban heritage planners.
Restoration Highlights
- Eco-Paving: Natural granite stonework and energy-efficient ambient lighting along the 1.7km lakeside promenade.
- Artisan Demonstrations: Dedicated open-air zones for traditional water puppetry, Ca Tru singing, and Dong Ho folk painting.
- Clean Air Walking Zone: Noise levels reduced by 40% in the expanded 36-guild pedestrian district.
Visitors and locals flock to the lake every weekend to enjoy serene morning Tai Chi sessions, legendary Hanoi egg coffee, and outdoor orchestra concerts at the Hanoi Opera House plaza.