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Hoan Kiem Lake (c. 16th century onward)

Hoan Kiem lake is located in the middle of Hanoi. Its name means "The Lake of the Restored Sword", referring to a 15th-century legend in which the nobleman Le Loi, who fought for the Vietnamese against Ming China, received his sword from a magic turtle living in the lake. The nobleman defeated the Ming and returned home in victory. One day, the emperor was boating in the lake when the turtle surfaced demanding the sword's return. In memory of this event, the emperor built the Tortoise Tower on an island at the south end of the lake. Enormous turtles still live in the lake today. When they are spotted, it is supposed to herald the death of one of the country's leaders.

The larger island on the north side of the lake holds Ngoc Son temple. It was originally built during the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) but was last restored in 1865. It venerates Van Xuong, the god of literature, as well as La To (a physician) and Tran Hung Dao, a 13th century leader who fought sucessful wars against the Nguyen. The renovations of 1865 were carried out by Nguyen Van Sieu, a famous writer who also commissioned a large pen-shaped tower at the entrance of the temple.

Location

The approximate location of the lake is 21.029205' N, 105.852514' E (WGS 84 map datum).