Hanoi launches digital platform to transform heritage exploration

The project was jointly developed by the French Embassy and the French Institute in Vietnam, in collaboration with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Its launch marked a further step in scientific and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and France, coinciding with the official visit to Vietnam by Éléonore Caroit, France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad.

The platform is the result of a year of research involving nearly 40 experts and around 100 students. The team surveyed more than 100 heritage sites across Hanoi, documenting them through photography, inscriptions, Sino-Nom research materials, architectural drawings and on-site filming before selecting 28 representative sites for the digital collection.

The resulting platform integrates historical and contemporary photographs with research-based information, interactive maps and QR codes installed at heritage locations. Visitors can scan the codes with their smartphones to access detailed information about individual sites while exploring them in person.

Four journeys through Hanoi’s cultural heritage

The digital collection is organised into four thematic routes, each offering a different perspective on the capital’s cultural and spiritual traditions.

The first explores Thang Long’s Four Guardian Temples, a group of four temples traditionally associated with protecting the ancient capital’s four directions. The second focuses on Mother Goddess temples connected with the Mother Goddess worship practices recognised by UNESCO. The third traces communal houses dedicated to the founders of traditional crafts, reflecting the history of craft production in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The fourth explores pagodas associated with historical scholars and Buddhist monks.

Pham Tuan Long, director of Hanoi’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the project demonstrated the continuing development of cooperation between Hanoi and French partners through practical initiatives to preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

He expressed Hanoi’s hope to expand cooperation in heritage research, training, conservation and technology applications. Maintaining the platform, updating its content and gathering public feedback would be important to ensuring its long-term effectiveness, alongside the participation of local authorities, heritage site managers and communities.

Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said the project has adapted French research methods in heritage studies, route development, interpretation and technology to Vietnam’s context, combining them with domestic academic expertise and community knowledge.

By making research materials available directly at heritage sites, the platform enables visitors to better understand the links between individual monuments, Hanoi’s history and its cultural life. It also makes academic findings more accessible for cultural tourism and education.

A resource for education and heritage research

Beyond tourism, the platform is expected to support schools and academic research. Teachers can use its digital materials as visual resources for extracurricular activities, helping students engage with Hanoi’s history through direct exploration and accessible information.

For researchers and students, the digitised collection of inscriptions and Sino-Nom architectural materials provides a resource for reference and further study, while creating opportunities for practical fieldwork.

The launch ceremony at Kim Ngan Communal House ni the Old Quarter also gave participants an opportunity to experience the platform in practice. Following the announcement, delegates took part in a walking tour through the heritage streets of Hang Bac, Hang Ngang and Hang Dao, continuing towards Hoan Kiem Lake.

The project brings together research institutions, universities and local communities in an effort to make Hanoi’s heritage more accessible and relevant to contemporary life. Its approach could also offer a model for similar initiatives in other Vietnamese cities and provinces, helping cultural heritage reach wider audiences in the digital age.

Visitors experience Hanoi’s heritage and traditional customs

VOV.VN - The "Heritage Roots in the Heart of the Capital" event was held at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism on October 10, offering visitors a range of cultural activities, including a procession, incense offering in tribute to the Hung Kings, Xoan singing performances, human chess, aft village demonstrations, and traditional cuisine.