Explore Hanoi's heritage with digital technology through a special travel itinerary

For the first time, historical, cultural and architectural data of a series of Hanoi relics are integrated into an interactive map system, application and QR code system.

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet participated in the launching ceremony this morning at Quan Thanh Temple. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee

Four unique heritage discovery journeys of the Capital have just been officially launched, bringing new experiences. The journey is supported by an interactive map system, the H-Heritage application and a QR code system at many relic sites in the city center. These tools allow residents and visitors to access heritage information in a more intuitive, convenient and synchronous way, through the form of looking up right at the destination.

The itineraries are designed as exploration routes that connect stories: the Thang Long Four Towns journey, the Mother Goddess temples; the Ancestor Communal Houses in the Old Quarter and the pagodas. Users only need a smartphone to “touch history”, in a more intuitive and vivid approach.

The project is implemented within the framework of EFER-R Patrimoine with funding from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs , through the French Embassy and the French Institute in Vietnam (IFV), in coordination with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, the French School of the Far East (EFEO), the Francophone University Organization (AUF) and the People's Committee of Ba Dinh Ward.

French Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Olivier Brochet, spoke at the event. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee

Speaking at the launching event of the project “Heritage tourism itineraries in Hanoi” at Quan Thanh Temple on December 3, French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet emphasized that Hanoi possesses a rich heritage, but access to it has long been inconsistent, especially for young people.

According to him, the heritage application is like “a pocket encyclopedia”, helping each person understand more about their city in their daily steps: when suddenly encountering an ancient pagoda, a French villa or a place that witnessed a historical event.

The Ambassador expressed his hope that digital technology, especially QR codes and interactive maps, will contribute to making Hanoi one of Asia's pioneering cities in digitizing heritage data.

Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities shared at the event. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee

Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities affirmed that this is a completely new model of heritage approach, helping to bring seemingly ancient values ​​closer and more accessible to young people and international tourists. The school hopes that the project will continue to be expanded and replicated in other districts of Hanoi and many localities across the country.

Over the past year, French-Vietnamese expert groups have surveyed more than 100 relics, processed a large amount of documents in French, Han-Nom and Vietnamese, to build a basic data set for the digitization system. From the process of surveying and analyzing documents, the research team selected 28 typical relics to build four heritage itineraries according to four traditional beliefs of the Vietnamese people.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hiep - head of the project's technical team, the large archive is exploited, processed and systematized according to scientific standards, creating a foundation to fully recreate each relic, from descriptions, documentary photos to geolocation data. All are integrated into the interactive system, accessed via QR code and H-Heritage application.

The project “Hanoi Heritage Tourism Journey” combines field surveys, document analysis, student training and the application of mapping technology during implementation. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee

The project also targets three functional groups. First is the tourism function, supporting people and tourists to directly explore the destination. Second is the scientific function, providing data sources for researchers, lecturers and experts. Third is the educational function, contributing to the integration of heritage knowledge into the curriculum and extracurricular activities at high schools and universities.

At the launching ceremony, Ba Dinh Ward - home to many important heritages of Hanoi - shared about the models of technology application in cultural tourism development in recent times. Chairwoman of Ba Dinh Ward People's Committee Pham Thi Diem said that the pilot products initially brought positive results; this is considered an important direction in preserving and promoting heritage values ​​in a modern spirit while maintaining identity.

Quan Thanh Temple is a destination in the journey to explore Hanoi's heritage. Photo: Provided by the Organizing Committee

4 Hanoi heritage tour itineraries

Journey 1: "Thang Long Tu Tran" (Four guardian gods of the citadel)

Visitors will explore four sacred temples: Bach Ma, Voi Phuc, Quan Thanh and Kim Lien, guarding the four directions East-West-South-North of Thang Long citadel. The itinerary honors the sacred cultural identity and unique spiritual structure of Hanoi, which not only needs human protection but also needs the gods to ensure its well-being.

Journey 2: “Mother Goddess Temples”

The journey will connect eight temples, shrines worshiping Mother Lieu Hanh and the Holy Mothers, representing the Three Palaces belief - an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. The journey will explore the temples: Dong Ha, Vu Thach, Ba Kieu, Xuan Yen, Dau Temple, Vong Tien, Tay Ho Palace, and Long Bien Station Incense Tree. This unique belief of the Vietnamese people blends rituals, music, dances and the spirit of honoring the Mother.

Journey 3: "Communal Temple of the Profession's Ancestors"

Tourists explore the ancestral communal houses of Hanoi such as: Kim Ngan (ancestor of goldsmithing), Dong Lac (ancestor of ancient yem), Pha Truc Lam (ancestor of leather and footwear), Ha Vi communal house (ancestor of lacquering), Phuc Hau temple (ancestor of mirror coating), Tu Thi communal house (ancestor of embroidery), Lo Ren communal house (ancestor of blacksmithing), Ngu Xa communal house (ancestor of bronze casting).

Journey 4: “Hanoi Pagoda”

The destinations on this journey are pagodas associated with the name of Monk An Thien (Phuc Dien) - one of the representative ancestors of Vietnamese Buddhism. From Bao Thien Pagoda, now only in memory, to Lien Tri, Ham Long and Lien Phai... The journey recreates the historical and spiritual flow of Thang Long, where memory, technology and faith meet, telling the story of loss - survival - regeneration and preservation of heritage.

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Source: https://laodong.vn/du-lich/tin-tuc/kham-pha-di-san-ha-noi-bang-cong-nghe-so-qua-hanh-trinh-du-lich-dac-biet-1619786.html