The images, compiled by author Dao Thi Dien from the National Archives Center I, are featured in her book "Hanoi in the Early Modern Era." Published by Nha Nam. Publishing and Communications JSC in late September to mark the 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day (Oct. 10, 1954 - Oct. 10, 2024), the book explores Hanoi's transformation from a colonial concession to a city shaped by Western urban planning and architecture during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Northern Gate of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
The book states that on August 28, 1893, the Hanoi city council unanimously sought approval from the Governor-General of Indochina to demolish the remaining sections of the Imperial Citadel to make way for the expansion and development of the French Quarter to the west. Only the Northern Gate, marked by visible cannonball holes from previous battles, was preserved.
Tram running on Hang Dao Street.
Dien's research emphasizes that in July 1894, the French colonial administration began building Hanoi's railway system to establish the city as the "most important railway hub in Tonkin and Indochina."
Rickshaws in front of the French Residency Office on Hang Gai Street.
Historical records indicate that the first two rickshaws were introduced to Hanoi in 1884 by French Resident Bonnal. One was for his personal use, while the other was presented as a gift to the city’s governor, Nguyen Huu Do, and both were imported from Japan.
St. Joseph's Cathedral before the iron fence was removed.
Construction of the cathedral began in early 1884 and was completed three years later. Dien notes that St. Joseph's Cathedral was designed after Notre-Dame de Paris, with a cruciform layout measuring 55 meters long and 33 meters wide, and two square bell towers reaching 17 meters in height. The cathedral’s numerous arched windows were adorned with glass imported from France by the company Ott et Cie.
André Masson, a historian and archivist in the Indochina Archives, commented: “Though the cathedral may not be an architectural masterpiece, it stands as one of the city's most historically significant monuments, much like medieval churches built on a grand scale with limited resources in the aftermath of war and destruction."
Chambre de Commerce et d'Agriculture (Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, currently the headquarters of Hanoi Moi newspaper) in 1930.
Temple of Literature in 1931.
As detailed in "Hanoi in the Early Modern Era," the Temple of Literature, due to its vast size, was often repurposed by the colonial government from 1884 to 1940. For example, during a plague outbreak in Hanoi in March 1903, it served as a medical ward.
However, resistance from Hanoi’s Confucian scholars, the temple's caretakers, and local residents against these colonial repurposing efforts played a significant role in preserving the city's cultural heritage. This resulted in a renovation in 1888 and subsequent restorations from 1897-1901, 1904-1909, and 1910-1915.
