Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge on a quiet Hue afternoon
Tuesday, 22/01/2013 08:47 (GMT+7)
Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge crosses a canal flowing right through Thanh Thuy village, Thuy Thanh Commune, Huong Thuy district, about 8 km east of Hue city was greatly renovated according to the old design and officially accepted as a national remains, a rare and appreciated beauty-spot of the whole country.
Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge, along with the Kim Son tile-roofed bridge in Ninh Binh province and the Hai Hau tile-roofed bridge in Nam Dinh province, have been chosen by the Ministry of Information and Communication, in collaboration with the Vietnam Post Company and Thua Thien Hue Provincial People’s Committee, for publishing the special stamp set named “Tile-roofed bridges” on the occasion of Hue Festival 2012.
Tourists visiting Hue for the first time often visit famous places such as the Royal Palace, Khai Dinh imperial tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda, but forget this remarkable site. Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge is an arched wooden bridge, 17m long and 4m wide. Along both sides of the bridge are two rows of wooden platforms and parapets for people to rest.
The roof is constructed of pressed glazed terra-cotta and porcelain, a popular material on the royal tombs and pagodas in Hue.
The bridge was built over two centuries ago and damaged many times by storms, floods and wars. However, after the bridge was destroyed, the villagers always contributed to repair, renovate and preserve it.
In front of the tile-roofed bridge is the colourful daily Thanh Toan market, retaining many of the ancient and meditative characteristics of Hue.
The tile-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge is not only an ancient architectural remain with high historic and cultural value, but also a tourist attraction.
Nowadays, the bridge attracts many tourists because of its old architectural style and historical and cultural value.