Hanoi’s history dates back almost a thousand years. During that time it has witnessed numerous incursions from China, seen a host of Vietnamese emperors come and go and at one time go even lose its status as the nation’s capital. The city’s temples and pagodas and the religious practices performed reflect a strong Chinese influence. For nearly 800 years Hanoi was the home of various royal dynasties until Hue became the new imperial capital in 1802. With the coming of the French at the end of the 19th century the city gained a new lease of life. This European influence can still be seen in the elegant colonial buildings that line the broad tree-lined boulevards of much of the city.