Thap Rua Tower Hanoi, also known as Turtle Tower, commemorates local folk hero, Le Loi, who had freed the Vietnamese from Chinese forces back in 1425. One of Hanoi’s most iconic attractions, it was constructed on a small island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake in 1886, symbolising the patriotic pride of the local population.

According to legend, a Dragon King helped Le Loi achieve his victory by secretly gifting a mystical sword, which gave him the strength and power to rally his troops against the Ming army. The blade of the sword was found by a fisherman in his net while its handle was discovered in a banyan tree by Le Loi himself.

Shortly after the battle, the folk hero travelled through a lake by boat, where the Dragon King reclaimed the sword in the form of a turtle. As a result, Le Loi named the lake Hoan Kiem, which translates to Lake of The Returned Sword.