Hanoi to launch new pedestrian zone

Authorities in Hanoi plan to open a new pedestrian zone around Son Tay old fortress citadel during the upcoming Reunification Day (April 30) holiday to boost tourism.

The 820-meter-long pedestrian zone spans some streets around the ancient citadel in the outlying district of Son Tay, 40 kilometers from downtown Hanoi, to form a space for entertainment, culture and tourism purposes, as well as promote the image of the Son Tay fortress, a military base built by King Minh Mang in 1822 to protect Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

The zone is scheduled to open from 7 p.m. Saturday until noon on Sunday with contemporary art performances, street music, folk dances, portrait painting, sketching, calligraphy, boat racing, fishing and water puppetry.

Hanoi unveiled its first walking street in Hoan Kiem District in 2004, covering only five streets at the time. By 2021, Hoan Kiem walking zone has been expanded to cover a much larger area, including dozens of streets near the iconic Sword Lake and Old Quarter.

Besides Hoan Kiem, Tay Ho District is the second to get a pedestrian street in Trinh Cong Son from 2018, spanning about a kilometer.