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 long-term or important capitals in Vietnamese history while the capitals in italic indicate short-lived or transient capitals.
CapitalPeriodNationEraPalaceCurrent location
Ngàn Hống2879 – ? BCXích QuỷKinh Duong VuongunknownHồng Lĩnh mountain, Hà Tĩnh Province
Nghĩa Lĩnh? – 2524 BCXích QuỷLac Long QuanunknownNghĩa Lĩnh mountain, Phú Thọ Province
Phong Châu2524–258 BCVăn LangHồng Bàng dynastyunknownPhú Thọ Province
Cổ Loa257–208 BCÂu LạcThục dynastyCổ Loa CitadelĐông Anh District, Hanoi
Panyu207–111 BCNanyueTriệu dynastyNanyue PalaceGuangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China
Mê Linh40–43LingnanTrưng SistersunknownMê Linh District, Hanoi
Long Uyên544–602Vạn XuânEarly Lý dynastyLong Biên PalaceLong Biên District, Hanoi or Bắc Ninh Province ?
Vạn An713–722Annam under Tang dominationMai Hắc ĐếunknownNam Đàn District, Nghệ An Province
Đại La905–938JinghaiKhúc clanunknownHanoi
Cổ Loa939–967JinghaiNgô dynastyCổ Loa CitadelĐông Anh District, Hanoi
Hoa Lư968–980Đại Cồ ViệtĐinh dynastyHoa Lư CitadelNinh Bình Province
Hoa Lư980–1009Đại Cồ ViệtEarly Lê dynastyHoa Lư CitadelNinh Bình Province
Hoa Lư1009 – 1010Đại Cồ ViệtLater Lý dynastyHoa Lư CitadelNinh Bình Province
Thăng Long1010 – 1225Đại ViệtLater Lý dynastyImperial Citadel of Thăng LongHanoi
Thăng Long1226–1440Đại ViệtTrần dynastyImperial Citadel of Thăng LongHanoi
Tây Đô1400–1407Đại NguHồ dynastyHo CitadelVĩnh Lộc District, Thanh Hóa Province
Mô Độ1407–1409Jiaozhi under Ming dominationLater Trần dynastynoneYên Mô District, Ninh Bình Province
Đông Kinh1428–1527Đại ViệtLater Lê dynasty – early periodImperial Citadel of Thăng LongHanoi
Đông Kinh1527–1592Đại ViệtMạc dynastyImperial Citadel of Thăng LongHanoi
Vạn Lại1533–1597Đại ViệtLater Lê dynasty – warlord periodVan Lai CitadelThọ Xuân District, Thanh Hóa Province
Cao Bình1592–1677Đại Việt – northernmost regionMạc dynastyBan Phu CitadelCao Bằng City, Cao Bằng Province
Đông Kinh1597–1789Đại ViệtLater Lê dynasty – warlord periodImperial Citadel of Thăng LongHanoi
Đông Kinh1597–1787Đại Việt – Outer RegionTrịnh lordsPalace of Trịnh LordsHanoi
Phú Xuân1678–1777Đại Việt – Inner RegionNguyễn lordsPalace of Nguyễn LordsHuế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Qui Nhơn1778–1793Đại ViệtTây Sơn dynastyEmperor CitadelBình Định Province
Phú Xuân1786–1802Đại ViệtTây Sơn dynastyunknownHuế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Huế1802–1945Viet Nam, later Dai NamNguyễn dynastyImperial City of HuếHuế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Sài Gòn1887–1901French IndochinaIndochinese FederationGovernor-General PalaceHo Chi Minh City
Hà Nội1902–1954French IndochinaIndochinese FederationIndochinese Governor-General PalaceHanoi
Hà Nội1945–1976Vietnam, later North VietnamDemocratic RepublicPresidential PalaceHanoi
Huế1945VietnamEmpirenoneHuế City, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Sài Gòn1946–1949French CochinchinaAutonomous RepublicnoneHo Chi Minh City
Sài Gòn1949–1955South VietnamStateIndependence PalaceHo Chi Minh City
Sài Gòn1955–1975South VietnamRepublicIndependence PalaceHo Chi Minh City
Lộc Ninh1972–1975South VietnamProvisional GovernmentnoneLộc Ninh District, Bình Phước Province
Hà Nội1976 – presentVietnamSocialist RepublicPresidential Palacecurrent 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.