It would be an imperfection not to mention Long Bien Bridge when speaking of Hanoi. As the first modern bridge to cross the Red River, it is a historic destination, a tourist attraction and a cultural symbol of the capital.
Long Bien Bridge was officially inaugurated on February 28, 1902 after nearly 3 years of construction with the original name Paul Doumer - the French governor-general of Indochina then. It was renamed Long Bien Bridge after Hanoi was liberated.
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Long Bien Bridge seen from above (Photo: Thanh Dat) |
Long Bien Bridge is unique in its style, design and construction materials. It has a length of 1,862m, including 19 spans of steel beams placed on 20 pillars over 40m high and stone paths leading to the bridge. There is a single track for trains in the middle while lanes for motorbikes and pedestrians are on both sides of the bridge. The traffic flows on the left side, not on the right as usual. At the time of inauguration, Long Bien was the second longest bridge in the world (after Brooklyn Bridge in the U.S.) and was one of the 4 largest steel bridges in the world.
The iconic French-built bridge has been the traffic center connecting 2 sides of the Red River for 3 centuries. It witnessed a lot of Vietnamese historical events such as the first days of the national resistance war, the French expeditionary corps retreating, the Vietnam People’s Army proudly returning to Hanoi in October 1954, army troops deployed to the South to fight the enemy, and the anti-aircraft artillery batteries gunning down U.S. aircraft to protect Hanoi during the U.S. Operation Linebacker II.
During the war, Long Bien Bridge was bombed 14 times with 9 spans broken and 4 pillars badly damaged. However, the bridge was repaired in a timely manner so that traffic was never disrupted then. Long Bien Bridge is also likened to a majestic and resilient brave man, contributing to the glorious feast-of-arms of the armed forces and people of the capital.
For long, Long Bien Bridge has become a spot for couples to date, an ideal check-in place and also a popular stopover for tourists who want to view a cultural construction bearing historical imprints. Crossing Long Bien Bridge on foot, especially at the moment of dawn and dusk, everyone can wistfully let their souls wander in the space of the river, clouds and high sky while feeling peace in mind.
Translated by Tra My - Thu Ha - Khanh Linh - Thuy Mai