Tortoise is Vietnam National Animal.

Hoan Kiem Lake."Lake of the Returned Sword" or "Lake of the Restored Sword"Hanoi Vietnam.

The entrance of Hoan Kiem Lake.

      Near the northern shore of the lake lies Jade Island on which the Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) stands. The temple was erected in the 18th century. It honors the 13-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against the Yuan Dynasty, Van Xuong, a scholar, and Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master and famous writer in charge of repairs made to the temple in 1864.

Ngoc Son Temple.(Jade Mountain Temple)

Huc Bridge

Jade Island is connected to the shore by the wooden red-painted Huc Bridge (The Huc, meaning Morning Sunlight Bridge).

The Tortoise legends.
When entering the Jade Mountain Temple you could see a "Giant Tortoise " has displaying inside & it has it very own legends to Vietnam.

Tortoise in Vietnam legends.

Many legends of Vietnam connect closely to the turtle. In Yao dynasty of China, a Vietnamese King's envoy offered a sacred turtle  which was carved Khoa Đẩu script on its carapace writing all things happening from the time Sky and Earth had just been born. Yao King ordered a person to copy it and called it Turtle Calendar.

Another legend told that Kim Quy Deity (literally: Golden Turtle Deity) came into sight and crawled after An Dương Vương's pray. Following the Deity's foot prints, a Dương Vương built Co Loa citadel in spiral model as a result.

Furthermore, a Dương Vương was given present a Kim Quy Deity's claw to make the trigger , one part of the crossbow named Linh Quang Kim Trảo Thần Nỏ which is the military secret of winning Zhao Tuo. Unfortunately, a wicked scheme of stealing the sacred crossbow through a political marriage made Vietnam lose its sovereignty for 1000 years hence.

A 15th century- legend told that Lê Lợi returned his sacred sword named Thuận Thiên (literally: Heaven's Will) to Golden Turtle in Lục Thủy lake after he had won Ming's army. That is why Lục Thủy lake was renamed to Sword Lake or Returning Sword lake . This action symbolizes taking leave of weapons for peace

In mythology, legends, and folklore

Tortoise — is the symbol of wisdom, and is able to defend itself on its own. It personifies Water, Moon, Mother-Earth, Time, Immortality, and Fertility. The starting of creation is associated with the tortoise and it is also believed that the tortoise bears the burden of the whole world.

The turtle has a prominent position as a symbol of steadfastness and tranquility in religion, mythology, and folklore from around the world.

Tortoise Tower is a small tower in the middle of Sword Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam.