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Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
Hoan Kiem Lake, meaning 'Lake of the Returned Sword' is located in the historical center of Hanoi and is today one of the most scenic and well-known sights in the Vietnamese capital. According to legend, the lake is named after a magic sword belonging to Emperor Le Loi, which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. A wooden, red-painted bridge called The Huc Bridge connects Jade Island to the shore across the lake. Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) stands on the island. It was erected in the 18th century to honor the 13th-century military leader Trang Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty. The Turtle Tower, named after the giant soft-shell turtles often spotted in the lake, also stands on a small island.