Long Bien bridge - A peaceful and romantic

There is a quote that Eiffel is the symbol of Paris and Long Bien is the iconic bridge of Hanoi. The name of the city means “interior land between rivers”, reflecting the terrain spotted with dozens of ponds, lakes and especially Red River. Long Bien was the first structure built across the river, which has witnessed over 100-year history of Vietnam, so no doubt to say it’s the most well-known bridge in town, and also a must-see place for culture-seekers and sunset lovers.

History

Constructed from 1989 to 1902 during the French colony, it was built by the architects Daydé & Pillé of Paris, and opened in 1903, more than 3,000 Vietnamese took part in the construction. At 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) in length, it was, at that time, one of the longest bridges in Asia.

It was firstly called Paul-Doumer Bridge, named after Paul Doumer - The Governor-General of French Indochina and then French president, but the Vietnamese called it Long Bien or Cai River Bridge for a long time, and Long Bien became the most popular name of the bridge.

Historically, Long Bien Bridge was considered as the pride and symbol of architecture in the Far East. The bridge was the major connection to transport tons of rice from Red River Delta and North Center of Vietnam to Dien Bien Phu battle, which made a turning point for Vietnam to win France in 1954. The bridge was heavily bombarded during Vietnam War due to its critical position. In 1967 and 1972, many spans of Long Bien Bridge were destroyed. Some parts of the original structure remain intact, while large sections have been built later to repair the holes. Only half of the bridge retains its original shape.



Today trains, mopeds, bicycles and pedestrians use the dilapidated bridge, while all other traffic is diverted to the nearby Chương Dương Bridge and some other newly built bridges.
Great features

Among the five bridges which cross the Red River of Hanoi, Long Bien Bridge is considered the most special one with the historic architectural and cultural values. That is the only bridge in Hanoi on which all travelers have to go on the left-hand side. When walking along, tourists will have a chance to enjoy the peaceful view of the river and the farm island right underneath the spans. Local people also buy fresh vegetable, corns and fish for dinner from vendors of the farm on the bridge. It is said that Long Bien Bridge is one of the best places for sunrise or sunset. This also is a favorite destination for many grooms and brides to have wedding photos, or a lot of others to catch good shots of the vintage scenic theme. Don’t miss the chance to take a walk on Long Bien Bridge for sightseeing, great pictures, and to perceive daily life movements of local residents with nice and breezy surrounding.

Nearby places that may matter

Long Bien Bus Station: located 50m from the end of the bridge, this station is a major one, of which you can take buses to many corners of Hanoi, noticeably Bus 86 from/to Noi Bai airport; or Bus 47A to Bat Trang ceramic village.

Long Bien wholesale fruit market: It sits at the foot of Hanoi’s iconic Long Bien Bridge. This market is the distribution point for probably most of Hanoi’s produce. Commercial shoppers to double basket hawkers shop for steals of deals in bulk quantities.

How to get there

From Solaria Hanoi, you can take a motorbike and go through the maze of Old Quarter to an end of the bridge. Remember it’s the only one in town, of which you need to travel on the left-hand side. Or simply take a walk for 20 minutes, then you may let yourself feel free with nature of the site