List of historical capitals of Vietnam

This list of historical capitals of Vietnam includes former capital cities as well as the current capital of Vietnam which is Hanoi in time order. The capitals in bold indicate those of independent periods while the capitals in italic indicate those of occupied or invaded periods.

Capital Period Nation Era Palace Current location
Ngàn Hống 2879 – ? BC Xích Quỷ Hồng Bàng dynasty - Kinh Duong Vuong unknown Hồng Lĩnh mountain, Hà Tĩnh Province
Nghĩa Lĩnh ? – 2524 BC Xích Quỷ Hồng Bàng dynasty - Lac Long Quan unknown Nghĩa Lĩnh mountain, Phú Thọ Province
Phong Châu 2524–258 BC Văn Lang Hồng Bàng dynasty - Hùng Kings unknown Phú Thọ Province
Cổ Loa 257–208 BC Âu Lạc Thục dynasty Cổ Loa Citadel Đông Anh District, Hanoi
Panyu 207–111 BC Nanyue Zhao Dynasty Nanyue Palace Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China
Leilou 111-106 BC First Era of Chinese Domination unknown Bắc Ninh Province
Guangxin 106 BC-40 AD unknown Wuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
Mê Linh 40–43 AD Lingnan Trưng Sisters unknown Mê Linh District, Hanoi
Guangxin 43-210 Second Era of Chinese Domination unknown Wuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
Panyu 210-226? Nanyue Palace Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China
Longyuan 226?-544 Long Biên Palace Long Biên District, Hanoi or Bắc Ninh Province (uncertain)
Long Uyên 544–602 Vạn Xuân Early Lý dynasty
Jiaozhi (district) 602-607? Third Era of Chinese Domination unknown between Đuống River and Thái Bình River
Songping 607?-713 unknown Hanoi
Vạn An 713–722 Annam (under Tang domination) Mai Hắc Đế unknown Nam Đàn District, Nghệ An Province
Songping 722-779 Third Era of Chinese Domination unknown Hanoi
Tống Bình 779-791 Annam (under Tang domination) Phùng Hưng unknown
Songping 791-866 Third Era of Chinese Domination unknown
Dalou 866-905 Đại La Citadel Ba Đình District, Hanoi
Đại La 905–938 Jinghai Khúc clan and Dương clan
Cổ Loa 939–968 Ngô dynasty Cổ Loa Citadel Đông Anh District, Hanoi
Hoa Lư 968–980 Đại Cồ Việt Đinh dynasty Hoa Lư Citadel Ninh Bình Province
980–1009 Early Lê dynasty
1009 – 1010 Later Lý dynasty
Thăng Long 1010 – 1225 Đại Việt Later Lý dynasty Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long Hanoi
1226–1440 Trần dynasty
Tây Đô 1400–1407 Đại Ngu Hồ dynasty Ho Citadel Vĩnh Lộc District, Thanh Hóa Province
Mô Độ 1407–1409 Jiaozhi (under Ming domination) Later Trần dynasty unknown Yên Mô District, Ninh Bình Province
Dongguan 1407-1427 Fourth Era of Chinese Domination Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long Hanoi
Đông Kinh 1428–1527 Đại Việt Later Lê dynasty – early period
1527–1592 Mạc dynasty
Vạn Lại 1533–1597 Đại Việt – southern region Later Lê dynasty – warlord period Van Lai Citadel Thọ Xuân District, Thanh Hóa Province
Cao Bình 1592–1677 Đại Việt – northern region Mạc dynasty Ban Phu Citadel Cao Bằng City, Cao Bằng Province
Đông Kinh 1597–1789 Đại Việt Later Lê dynasty – warlord period Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long Hanoi
1597–1787 Đại ViệtOuter Region Trịnh lords Palace of Trịnh Lords
Phú Xuân 1678–1777 Đại ViệtInner Region Nguyễn lords Palace of Nguyễn Lords Huế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Qui Nhơn 1778–1793 Đại Việt Tây Sơn dynasty Emperor Citadel An Nhơn Town, Bình Định Province
Phú Xuân 1786–1802 unknown Huế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Huế 1802–1945 Viet Nam, later Dai Nam Nguyễn dynasty Imperial City of Huế Huế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Saigon 1887–1901 French Colonial Era Indochinese Federation Governor-General Palace Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi 1902–1954 Indochinese Governor-General Palace Hanoi
Saigon 1945 Indochina under Japanese Occupation Governor-General Palace Ho Chi Minh City
Huế 1945 Vietnam Empire of Vietnam Imperial City of Huế Huế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Hanoi 1945–1976 Vietnam, later North Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Presidential Palace Hanoi
Saigon 1945-1954 French Occupation Indochinese Federation Governor-General Palace Ho Chi Minh City
1946–1949 Cochinchina (under French Occupation) Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina Gia Long Palace
1949–1955 South Vietnam State of Vietnam under French military presence Norodom Palace
1955–1975 Republic of Vietnam under U.S. military presence Independence Palace
Tây Ninh 1969-1972 South Vietnam Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam none Tây Ninh Province
Lộc Ninh 1972–1973 none Lộc Ninh District, Bình Phước Province
Cam Lộ 1973-1975 none Cam Lộ District, Quảng Trị Province
Saigon 1975-1976 Independence Palace Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi 1976 – present Vietnam Socialist Republic of Vietnam Presidential Palace current capital

Some secondary unofficial capitals also existed throughout Vietnamese history. These secondary capitals were established by dynasty founders merely as symbolic capitals to pay tribute to their ancestors.

References

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