This is a street in Hanoi directly named by Uncle Ho. This road does not bear the name of famous people, nor does it bear the name of commodity products.
Hanoi has many streets named after famous people or named after products and goods of Ke Cho land. However, only one romantic street is named Thanh Nien Street. And not many people know, it was President Ho Chi Minh who named this road.
Thanh Nien Street seen from above
Thanh Nien Street is nearly 1km long, starting from Yen Phu slope to Quan Thanh – Thuy Khue intersection. This road is located between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, about 3km northwest of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Due to its location between two lakes, viewed from above, Thanh Nien Street looks like a bridge covered with green trees. At the end of the street is Quan Thanh Temple with a large bronze statue, worshiping one of the Four Towns of Thang Long Citadel.
The route has beautiful roadways, wide sidewalks and rows of green trees all year round. Photo: Knowledge Magazine
Thanh Nien Street was originally a dam built in the early 17th century to keep fish raised in Truc Bach lake. At first it was named Co Ngu (to hold firm), later it was incorrectly read as Co Ngu.
Image of ancient Co Ngu Street
This road is also used in the song “Hanoi is absent of rain in this season” by musician Truong Quy Hai: “Hanoi is absent of rain in this season. The coldness of the beginning of winter makes my scarf flutter in the cold wind. The milk flowers stopped falling, and the girl next to me finished class one afternoon. The old Co Ngu Street slowly walked us back.”
In 1894, the French colonial government issued a bid to demolish Hanoi’s citadel wall, then build the Governor General’s Palace, and Co Ngu again attracted attention. They changed the name to Marshal Lyoutey Street, but Hanoians still call it Co Ngu. When building the Yen Phu dike, the French opened the road wider, planted phoenix trees on both sides, and installed rows of lanterns burning with gas. At night, people from So Luc Lo opened the gas valve from the bottom of the pole to the lamp and lit it. Cool blue light erases darkness, convenient for people to travel; At the same time, it also reflects on the water surface of two lakes, making this area become romantic and magical.
After the capital was liberated (October 10, 1954), Hanoi youth poured land to make the road wider and more beautiful, especially the middle section, where there are famous delicious West Lake shrimp cakes. The Yen Phu slope is straight, gentle and easy to walk. The front of Quan Thanh Temple was also widened to form a flower garden.
Hanoi boys and girls excitedly carried, shoveled, and pushed dirt carts… They were happy to directly contribute to beautifying the Capital, and even happier to meet Uncle Ho. Because the construction site is right near the Presidential Palace, twice when Uncle Ho passed by on business, he stopped to visit.
At the end of 1959, the work of repairing and expanding the road was completed, the city leaders and the Hanoi Youth Union discussed giving the road a new name. The name Co Ngu sounds so “old”. Some people suggested changing it to Ly Tu Trong street, the name of a typical communist youth union member.
Every season of the year, this road changes its color to “new clothes”.
A cultural expert suggested that it should be named Ho Xuan Huong street because this poetic street is associated with the Goddess of Nom poetry, a romantic female poet in Khan Xuan ward, Thang Long citadel.
Doctor Tran Duy Hung, then Chairman of the Hanoi Administrative Committee, was assigned the task of reporting and asking for Uncle Ho’s opinion.
After listening to the presentation, Uncle Ho asked again:
– Who built this road?
Doctor Tran Duy Hung replied:
– Dear Uncle, young man of the Capital.
He said simply:
– Then it should be named Thanh Nien Street!
Co Ngu Street was named Thanh Nien from then on. At the beginning of the street there is also a banyan tree planted by Uncle Ho, next to the statue of Ly Tu Trong.
On the road there is also Tran Quoc Pagoda – the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, built during the reign of Ly Nam De (541-547) with the original name Khai Quoc.
Today, this is one of the most beautiful streets of Hanoi capital. On hot summer evenings, the street and both sides of the sidewalk are crowded with people coming to enjoy the cool air. On cold winter days, there are still many people sitting and drinking hot tea at the toad shop. And this is also the meeting point for loving couples sitting by the lake. Therefore, Thanh Nien Street is the most romantic street in Hanoi and is jokingly called “love street” by many people.
>> Vo Tinh Bridge has the most unique name in Vietnam: Associated with many important historical achievements, now becoming a vital traffic route
