Back Heritage » Hanoi » [Photos] Over 100 Years of Hanoi's Historic Opera House

[Photos] Over 100 Years of Hanoi's Historic Opera House

There are some among the population who remember, with rose-tinted glasses, the days before coronavirus began ravaging countries across the globe. Many also remember Hanoi’s Opera House, particularly as it still exists.

Since construction was completed in 1911, the capital’s opera house has been considered one of the city’s most prominent architectural landmarks. Modeled on the Palais Garnier, the oldest opera house in Paris, Hanoi’s own version has provided a stage to thousands of performers over the last century, from touring French musicians during colonial rule to modern-day acrobatics who regularly take part in Lune Production’s Làng Tôi (My Village) shows.

Despite extremely tumultuous periods of the capital’s history, Hanoi Opera House appears today much as it did in 1911. Street fighting took place right outside, while political events were organized within, yet the structure itself emerged from periods of conflict relatively unscathed.

In this collection of images collated by Flickr user Manhhai, we see the structure at different periods over the last 100 years – cyclists ambling past on quiet streets, political rallies passing by, a cinema sign hung above the stone steps. There are even early architectural designs of the building pre-construction. 

Related Articles

in Hanoi

A Personal History of Hồ Tây: Romance, Colonial Rule and Subsidy-Era Fishing Heists

My father-in-law has spent decades visiting Hồ Tây (West Lake). His personal story both contrasts and reflects Vietnam's history as a whole and, as a result, offers a profound insight into the im...

in Hanoi

Author Michael Vann on Hanoi's Infamous Colonial Rat Hunt

When facing a bubonic plague epidemic, is it wiser to delve into sewers and cull infected rats yourself or offer payment to Vietnamese for deliveries of severed tails instead? For Hanoi’s French colon...

in Hanoi

Date With the Wrecking Ball: The Last Transmission From Dai La

In the southern reaches of the Vietnamese capital, a French villa will be demolished in the coming months following a decision by the Hanoi People’s Committee to construct a new ring road. The elegant...

in Hanoi

Hanoi Launches Night Tour at Hoa Lo Prison to Attract Domestic Tourists

History buffs from the rest of the country might find the night tour an opportunity to observe the storied historical site from a different perspective.

in Hanoi

Part of Historic Building, Meant to Be Preserved, Destroyed After Miscommunication

Part of a historic building, meant to be saved from demolition and recognized as a heritage site, has been bulldozed thanks to a miscommunication. 

in Hanoi

Street Photos in 1973 Capture a Rebuilding Hanoi After Linebacker II

In this collection of black-and-white photos taken by German photographer Horst Faas, Hanoi's streets seem bursting with life, but lurking behind innocent smiling children and packed tram rides are th...

Partner Content