Hanoi Old Quarter

The Old Quarter (Vietnamese: Phố cổ Hà Nội) is the name commonly given to that part of Hanoi that has been in existence since imperial times and which used to be located outside the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. This quarter used to be a residential, manufacturing, and commercial center, where each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing or commerce. Nowadays, the quarter is an attraction for people interested in the history of Hanoi. Another common name referring to approximately the same area is the 36 streets, after the 36 streets that used to make up the urban area of the city.