Flag Tower of Hanoi, Hanoi

The 200 year old Flag Tower of Hanoi is not only a symbol of Hanoi but has been declared a world heritage site. The tower was one of the few ancient monuments that the French colonists did not destroy and served as a military watchtower during the colonial period. It also survived the American bombing raids in the 1970s.

The construction of the Flag Tower or the Cot Co tower began in 1805 and was completed in 1812 during the reign of Gia Long, the best known ruler of the Nguyen dynasty. It was the last of the structures added to Gia Long’s citadel. The pyramidal structure has three tiers. The first is 42.5 meters wide and 3.1 meters high, the second is 25 meters wide and 3.7 meters high and the third is 12.8 meters wide and 5.1 meters high. The Vietnamese flag is mounted on a flag pole at the top of the tower. Two staircases are located near the northern door. The second tier has four doors in each direction.

Visitors are allowed to climb the tower and the top floor is an eight sided room with eight windows. The room has enough space for six people to stand and take in the breathtaking views. The tower is lighted by 36 flower shaped and 6 fan shaped windows.