Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi

Power sat in one spot in Hanoi for nearly thirteen unbroken centuries. The Ly kings raised the Thang Long citadel in the 11th century to proclaim Dai Viet's independence, building over a Chinese fortress of the 7th century on ground drained at the edge of the Red River Delta. Excavations at 18 Hoang Dieu reveal a court culture blending influences from China with those of Champa to the south. UNESCO inscribed the citadel's central sector in 2010.