Son Tay Ancient Citadel, a unique historical relic of Hanoi

Son Tay citadel was built by King Minh Mang in 1822 to defend the west of Thang Long citadel, which is now Hanoi. The architecture of the relic site is not much damaged, with massive walls and two gates in the west and south.

Son Tay citadel has an area of 16 ha, near two villages of Thuan Nghe and May Trai. The relic has laterite walls and four brick gates. On each side of the citadel is a cannon-guarded gate connected to a stone bridge. In the past there were four brick bridges over the moat, but today there are only two. Son Tay Citadel was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1994. Son Tay Citadel was built in the French style of laterite, a material abundant in the region. It was a military building with bullet holes that could be shot from the inside to protect the city gates.

The outer campus of the relic is surrounded by bamboo. The citadel has a quadrangular and trapezoidal cross section. There are a lot of holes at the top where soldiers can hide and shoot at any enemies that try to destroy the walls.

Inside the citadel, there is an octagonal flagpole 18m high, which is also an observatory. In 1940, a signal generator was installed on the top of the tower to announce the time and transmit emergency warnings to the people. Kinh Thien Palace and Vong Cung Gate are the most prominent architectural features of the monument. These two sites are where the King can rest and pray for peace and prosperity. In addition to its architectural and historical importance, the citadel also has great spiritual significance.

Son Tay citadel is one of the great symbols of Vietnam's cultural and historical heritage. Today, it has become a popular tourist destination. Son Tay Citadel has a different architecture from Thang Long Citadel and the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty. The ruins are still intact and surrounded by many trees. It is also close to other tourist attractions such as Duong Lam village and Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village.