Ha Noi flag tower: unique architectural work

It was used by French troops as an observation tower and communication station between command headquarters and adjacent military posts.
 
The Flag Tower built in 1812 is composed of three platforms and a tower. The words Nghenh Huc, meaning "to welcome dawn's sunlight," are inscribed on the eastern door.

It is one of the symbols of the city and part of theHa Noi Citadel, a World Heritage Site. Its height is 33.4 m (41 m with the flag).
 
Each side of the second storey is 27 m long and 3.7m high. There are four doors at this level. On the eastern-looking door are two old Chinese characters meaning "welcoming sunrise", on the the western-looking one, "reflection of light", and on the southern-looking one, "looking toward the light". Only the northern-looking door has no old Chinese characters.

Each side of the third storey is 12.8 long and 5.1m high. The door leads to the staircase that turns to the north. The body of the flag tower lies on this storey. It is an eight-side cylinder in 2m in length. Inside of it is a 54-step spiral staircase leading to the top. For ventilation and light, there are four or five asterisk-shaped holes on each of the eight sides. On the highest location of each side is a sector-shaped hole.

The top of the flag tower takes the shape of an eight-sided room that is 3.3m in height. Each side has one door. In the middle of the room is a round column, 1.4m in diameter. The roof of the room is where the flag is installed.

So, the entire structure is 33.4m high, or 41m high if the pole used for holding the flag is included.
The tower receives sunlight through 36 flower-shaped and six fan-shaped windows.

                                                                                                                                                                                        By Vien Nhu