Hoan Kiem Lake (Vietnamese: Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, Hán tự: 湖還劍, meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword" or "Lake of the Restored Sword"), also known as Hồ Gươm (Sword Lake), is a fresh water lake, measuring some 12 ha in the historical center of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. In the past, the lake was variously name "Luc Thuy Lake" (Vietnamese: Hồ Lục Thủy, meaning "Green Water Lake" - aptly named for the water's color) or "Thuy Quan Lake" (Vietnamese: Hồ Thủy Quân, meaning "Mariner's Lake").