The following is a timeline of the history of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam:
Prehistory
BCE — The Bronze-Age Dong Son culture of the Lac people occupies the Red River valley
Van Lang
BCE — According to much later sources, the area of present-day Hanoi formed part of the Giao Chỉ region of Van Lang BCE — The Âu Việt, united under the Shu emigrant Shu Pan (), invade and conquer Van Lang
Au Lac
BCE — Co Loa established by Shu Pan in the present city's Dong Anh district to serve as the capital of the unified kingdom of Au Lac
Qin Empire
214 BCE — The First Emperor begins his campaign against the Baiyue () people of the south 208 BCE — General Zhao Tuo () defeats Shu Pan and takes Co Loa, incorporating it into his Nanhai Commandery
Nanyue
204 BCE — Zhao Tuo declares his realm the independent kingdom of Nanyue () 196 BCE — Lu Jia secures the nominal submission of Nanyue to Han 179 BCE — By this point, Nanyue's lands in the Red River valley have been organized as the commandery of Jiaozhi ()
Han Empire
111 BCE — The commander of Jiaozhi submits to Han following Lu Bode's razing of the capital Panyu, remaining in his post and beginning the "First Northern Domination" of Vietnam. 208 CE — Longbian () erected in its eponymous district 226 — A Roman embassy arrives
Jin dynasty
271 CE —Battle of Jiaozhi between Eastern Wu and the Jin dynasty
Liu Song Empire
454 464 — Songping (Tong Binh) established by the Liu Song on the south bank of the Red River in Hanoi's Tu Liem and Hoai Duc districts
Van Xuan
544 — Long Biên serves as the capital of Ly Bi's realm of Van Xuan
Tang Empire
621 — Longbian and Songping briefly elevated to prefectural status as Longzhou and Songzhou 722 — Songping falls to Mai Thúc Loan late 8th century — Zhang Boyi erects Luocheng (, "Enclosing Wall[ed City]") in the present city's Ba Dinh district early 9th century — Luocheng renamed Jincheng (, "Golden Wall[ed City]") 863 —Nanzhao captured Hanoi from the Tang dynasty 866 — Gao Pian, the local jiedushi, expands the fortress at Jincheng and renames it Da Luocheng (, "Big Enclosing Wall[ed City]")
Dai Viet
1010 — Luocheng renamed Thang Long with the erection of its Imperial Citadel and dedication as the capital of the Lý dynasty. Quán Thánh Temple built. 1049 — One Pillar Pagoda built. 1070 — Temple of Literature built. 1076 — Imperial Academy established. 1225 — City becomes capital of the Trần dynasty. 1258, 1285 and 1288 — the city had been sacked and burned by Mongol. All previous constructions were destroyed as the city was rebuilt later. 15th century — Temple of the Jade Mountain and Quán Sứ Temple built. 1408 — City renamed Dōngguān (, "Eastern Gateway"; Đông Quan in Vietnamese) by the Chinese Ming dynasty. 1428 — City renamed Đông Kinh (, as known by Westerners as Tonkin. 1573 — "Foggy Lake" renamed West Lake. 1615 — Trấn Quốc Pagoda relocated to West Lake. 1656 — Láng Temple renovated. 1686 — Perfume Pagoda expanded. 1730s — Trúc Lâm Palace built at Trúc Bạch Lake. 1802 — Vietnamese capital relocated to Huế. Most royal palaces were destroyed during the previous Tay Son rebellion (1771—1789). 1812 — Flag Tower built. 1831 — City renamed Hà Nội (, "Between Rivers" or "River Interior") by Nguyễn emperor Minh Mạng.