The French Quarter of Hanoi

The Opera House. Now officially known as the Municipal Theatre. The French based it on the neo-Baroque Paris Opera with Ionic columns and grey slate tiles imported from France. It was opened in 1911 and was the focus of French colonial culture and arts. Soon after independence audiences were treated to performances in praise of the socialism and the achievements of the proletariat. The building has recently been restored to its former glory reminiscent of the days of the French Indochina empire.
The Grand Metropole Palace. Nowadays known as Hotel Sofitel Metropole. Opened in 1901 it became one of South east Asia's great hotel in the class of The Strand in Rangoon, the Oriental in Bangkok, The Raffles in Singapore and the E & O in Penang. Illustrious guests included British writer Graham Greene who came in 1952 and wrote The Quiet American there. In 1972 actress Jane Fonda stayed in Metropole while making her infamous broadcast over Radio Hanoi condemning President Nixon and charged that Nixon would never succeed in making Vietnam a neo-American colony. For that she was cruelly nick-named Hanoi Jane.
Residence of the Governor of Tonkin. This imposing Art Deco structure was constructed in 1918 and was the residence of the Governor of Tonkin which together with Annam in central Vietnam and Cochin China in south Vietnam formed the three governate of Vietnam. The supremo the Governor General of French Indochina encompassing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia resided at the Presidential Palace in another part of Hanoi. It is now the State Guest House. It also houses the State Bank in its lofty halls and was previously occupied by Bank of Indochina or Banque d' Indochine