Hoan Kiem through time

Hanoi 1945–2017 8 photos of this spot

8 photographs taken at the same spot in Hanoi, spanning 1945–2017 — 1 of them from before 1980. Line them up and watch the place change.

A lake in Hanoi and an adjoining Buddhist pagoda, labeled in the original French caption as the 'Grand Lac' and 'Pagode du grand Bouddah', photographed in 1945 during the closing months of French colonial rule in Indochina.

Hanoï - Grand Lac et Pagode du grand Bouddah 1945 A lake in Hanoi and an adjoining Buddhist pagoda, labeled in the original French caption as the 'Grand Lac' and 'Pagode du grand Bouddah', photographed in 1945 during the closing months of French colonial rule in Indochina.

DAI BO ( HOANG KIEM LAKE) 2010 A view of Hoan Kiem Lake, known in Vietnamese as Ho Guom, in central Hanoi, photographed in 2010. Legend holds that a golden turtle reclaimed a magic sword from the lake, giving it its name.

Hoan Kiem Lake 2012 Another 2012 photograph documents Hoan Kiem Lake, whose small islands hold the Ngoc Son Temple and the Turtle Tower, both enduring symbols of Hanoi tied to the lake's founding legend.

Hà Nội sau cơn mưa (Hanoi After the Rain) 2012 Titled 'Hanoi After the Rain,' this 2012 photograph shows the Vietnamese capital's streets in the aftermath of a downpour, a common scene during the region's humid summer months.

MỘT GÓC HỒ GƯƠM 2012 This 2012 photograph, titled 'A Corner of Hoan Kiem Lake,' shows part of the shoreline of Hanoi's central lake, a small but iconic body of water at the heart of the Old Quarter.

Hanoi 2017 A 2017 photograph taken in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, a city whose old quarter dates back nearly a thousand years to its founding as Thang Long and still carries a dense mix of narrow streets and colonial buildings.

Hoan Kiem 2017 Hoan Kiem Lake in central Hanoi, photographed in 2017, a small freshwater lake that has long served as a gathering place at the heart of the old city.

Lake through tree 2017 Trailing branches frame a view across a lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. The capital's numerous lakes have long served as public gathering spots and green space within its dense urban core.