This list of historical capitals of Vietnam includes former capital cities within the region that is now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It includes the respective capitals of dynastic Vietnam, French Indochina, Nanyue (a kingdom that annexed northern Vietnam), North Vietnam, and South Vietnam.
| Name | Location | Period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phong Châu | Phú Thọ Province | Hồng Bàng Dynasty (5000 years BCE) | |
| Cổ Loa | circa 20 km to the west of central Hanoi | An Dương Vương empire (4th centuries BCE) and again under Ngô Dynasty (938-967 CE) | |
| Phiên Ngung (Panyu) | Panyu District, Guangzhou, China | Triệu Dynasty (207-111 BC) | |
| Mê Linh | Vĩnh Phúc, circa 40 km to the west of present-day Hanoi | Rule of Trưng Sisters (40-43 CE) | |
| Long Biên | Present-day Hanoi | Anterior Lý dynasty and Triệu Việt Vương (544–602) | |
| Đại La | Present-day Hanoi | ||
| Hoa Lư | Ninh Bình Province | Đinh Dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty (968-1009) | |
| Thăng Long | Present-day Hanoi | Trần Dynasty (1225–1400) | |
| Tây Đô ("West Capital") | Thanh Hóa | Hồ Dynasty(1400–1407) | |
| Đông Đô ("East Capital") | Present-day Hanoi | Hồ Dynasty | |
| Đông Kinh (Tonkin - "East Capital") | Present-day Hanoi | Lê Dynasty (1428–1788), Trịnh Lords | |
| Phú Xuân | Present-day Huế | Nguyễn Lords (1558–1777) Tây Sơn Dynasty (1788–1802) and Nguyễn Dynasty (1802–1945) | |
| Hanoi | Capital of French Indochina (1887 to 1954) | ||
| Saigon | Present-day Ho Chi Minh City | Capital of South Vietnam (1954–1975) | |
| Hanoi | Capital of North Vietnam 1954–1975 | ||
| Hanoi | Capital of Vietnam 1975 to present |