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The Turtle Tower (Vietnamese:Tháp Rùa /塔𪛇), also called the Tortoise Tower, is a small tower in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) in central Hanoi, Vietnam. It is one of the most iconic, symbolic and most recognizable pieces of architecture representing Hanoi and the entirety of Vietnam.
The island was first used as a fishing site. In the 1400s, under Lê Thánh Tông a tower was built to improve the comfort of the emperor's fishing.[1] In the 17th and 18th centuries, under the Revival Lê dynasty, the Trịnh lords had Tả Vọng Temple built on the islet. In the 18th century, under the Nguyễn lords the temple disappeared.
In 1886, while Vietnam was occupied by the French, Nguyễn Hữu Kim, an intermediary between the Nguyễn and French governments, received permission from the government to build a tower in the middle of Hoàn Kiếm Lake in honor of Lê Lợi, one of the most famous figures of Vietnamese history and one of its greatest heroes. Legends surrounding his life involving the sword, Thuận Thiên and Hoan Kiem turtle are associated with Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the island.
Nguyễn Hữu Kim planned to secretly bury his father within the tower. Residents of the city discovered his plans and removed his father's body from the structure. The three-story tower was still completed and was originally named Bá hộ Kim Tower.
In 1890, the French installed a miniature Statue of Liberty on top of the tower. In 1945, after French control was overthrown by the Japanese army, the Vietnamese government had the statue removed.[2]
Media related to Turtle Tower at Wikimedia Commons21°01′40″N105°51′08″E / 21.0279°N 105.8523°E / 21.0279; 105.8523