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Hoi An Ancient Town - A World Cultural
Heritage Site |
Hoi An is located 30km south of Da Nang city, and 60 km
Northeast of Tam Ky city. Hoi An used to be an international
trade center by sea on the eastwest area in the 16th and 17th
centuries. It was the busiest trading port in Dang Trong region
of Vietnam under the reign of Nguyen as merchants from Japan,
China, Portugal, Spain, Holland...often landed for exchanging,
purchasing commodities. In the historical progress of
establishment and development, Hoi An was known by foreign
merchants as Faifo, Haisfo, Hoai pho, Ketchem, Cotam. Based on
archeological relics and architecture documents, Hoi An was not
only a place of converge and exchanging of many cultures such
as: Champa, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese,
especially impacted most by Vietnamese and Chinese civilisations.
Up
to now, the ancient town of Hoi An intactly preserves its
original architectures, including houses, temples, pogodas,
streets, ports, civil buildings, religious structures and other
non-religious worshipping structures. The every day lifestyle
with deep-rooted customs and cultural activities is fascinating.
Hoi An also attracts tourists thanks to its poetic and
picturesque landscapes such as Thuan Tinh islet, Cua Dai beach,
together with traditional handicrafts and famous local
specialties.
Hoi An was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in
December 1999. As statistics shows, in Hoi An there are 1,360
relics and landscapes. These relics are divided into eleven
kinds, including 1,068 ancients houses, 19 pagodas, 43 temples,
23 communal houses, 38 family temples, 5 assembly halls, 11 old
wells, one bridge, 44 ancient tombs. In old quarter, there are
more than 1000 relic sites.
Japanese Covered Bridge
Connecting
Tran Phu st. with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai st., Japanese Covered
bridge was constructed in the middle of the 16th century by
Japanese merchants in Hoi An. Due to natural disaster, Japanese
Covered bridge was restored so many times that it gradually lost
its original Japanese architecture style and was impacted by
Vietnamese and Chinese design. The bridge was provided with a
roof which was arched shape and skilfully carved with many fine
patterns. Over the door, 3 Chinese characters “ Lai Van Kieu”
(it means Bridge for Passers-by From Afar) were carved
prominently to name the bridge by Nguyen Phuc Chu Lord in his
trip to Hoi An in 1719.
The two entrances to the bridge are guarded by a pair
of monkeys on one side and a pair of dogs on the other.
According to legend, these once lived an enormous monster called
Cu whose head was in India, its tail in Japan and its body in
Vietnam. Whenever the monster moved, terrible disaster such as
floods and earthquake befell these places. Thus, aprat from the
purpose of transportation, building the bridge aslo is to
speak-killing the monster to preserve safe and peaceful life.
Japanese Covered Bridge is an invaluable property and
has been officially selected to be the symbol of Hoi An.
Quan Thang ancient house
(77 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
Quan
Thang is, currently, evaluated as one of the nicest ancient
houses in Hoi An. It is an over 150 year old house with
architecture style of Hoa Ha, China. Through years, the style as
well as interior decoration of the house has been lovingly
preserved. That helps us partly imagine the lifestyle of its
owner generations who were the merchants class in Hoi An
earlier. It is known that the whole of lively and fine
architecture and sculptures were made by craftmen of Kim Bong
carpentry village.
This is a main spot in the journey of discovery the
world cultural heritage in Hoi An.
Tan Ky ancient house
(101 Nguyen Thai Hoc st, Hoi An city)
Built about 200 years ago, Tan Ky’s architecture style
is piped shape - a typical style of Hoi An ancient houses. Its
interior is divided into many apartments and each one has its
own function. The front of the house is used for stores and the
back of the house near the river was the place for import and
export goods. The interior decoration item was made of unique
wood skilfully carved with symbols of dragon, fruits, eight
weapons, silk fillets showing well-off of its owners.
On 17th February 1990 Tan Ky house was listed as a
national historical vestige.
Phung Hung ancient house
(4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai st, Hoi An city)
Over
100 years old, Phung Hung house possessed a unique architecture.
The high wooden ceiling and large corridors represent the
development of architecture and exchange among Asian
architectural styles in Hoi An in the earlier centuries. The
house exhibits a lot of information about the lifestyle of
merchants who lived in Hoi An long time ago. Although being made
from unique woods, Phung Hung house was not carved at all by the
owner on purpose.
On the 29th of June 1993 the house was listed as a
national historical vestige.
Phuc Kien Assembly hall
(46 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
It is said that Phuc Kien Assembly hall was once a
small temple where Thien Hau Thanh Mau statue (a goddess who
protects merchants sailing in the sea) was worshiped. It was
picked up on the beach of Hoi An in 1697. Due to restorations
and support of the Fukien people, the Assembly hall became
resplendent and spacious taking part in the embellishment of Hoi
An architecture. Arranging the statues for worshiping means “
human happiness” profoundly expess the oriental philosophy.
Annually, on the 15th of January lunar year, 16th of February
lunar year and 23th of March lunar year many activities are
organized, attracting a lot of foreigners as well as domestic
tourists.
On 17th of February 1990 Phuc Kien was listed a
national historical vestige.
Trieu Chau Assembly hall
(157 Nguyen Duy Hieu st, Hoi An city)
Trieu Chau Assembly hall was built in 1845. The General
Phuc Ba, who was claimed to be able to make winds calm and waves
quiet, was worshipped there.
The house possesses a special value in architecture
with its skilfully carved wood house-frame and wooden decorated
alter and many glazed terracotta carving works.
Quang Dong Assembly hall
( 17 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
Founded in 1885 by Cantonese people, Quang Dong
Assembly hall was firstly used to worship Thien Hau Thanh Mau
and Khong Tu, and later in 1911 was used to worship Quan Cong
and their ancestors.
The harmonious combination of wood and stone material
and beautiful decorations bring the house the unique and sacred
design. Annually, on the 15th of January lunar year and the 24th
of June lunar year festivals are held, attracting many people.
Ngu Bang assembly hall
( 64 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
Ngu Bang is also called Duong Thuong or Chinese
Assembly hall. It was built in 1747 by five groups of Chinese
people: Fukien, Trieu Chau, Cantonese, HaiNam and Gia Ung. Here,
they worship Thien Hau Thanh Mau and it is used as a meeting
place to do business. Its architecture is influenced by Chinese
style.
Ong pogoda ( 24 Tran
Phu st, Hoi An city)
Founded in 1653, Chua Ong was restored six times in
years of 1753, 1783, 1827, 1864, 1904, 1906 and restored six
times. Chua Ong possesses a magnificent and impressing
architecture, and is also called the Quan Cong temple. Quan Van
Truong, (a symbolic image which represents loyalty and integrity
according to Confucianism, is worshipped here). This place was
once both a religious center of ancient Quang Nam people, and a
place where people came to consult oracles and believed it to
bring luck.
Quan Am pogoda (7
Nguyen Hue st, Hoi An city)
Being the only remaining Buddha-worshipped pogoda in
Hoi An ancient town., Quan Am pogoda possesses a nice scenery
and interresting architecture. Special wooden scultures carved
by skilful craftman of Kim Bong carpentry village are intact
preserved here. Quan The Am Bo Tat and other bodhisattvas are
worshipped here. On the fifteen day of the lunar month, people
come here participating actively in religious activities.
Tran family temple
(21 Le Loi st, Hoi An city)
Founded
in 1802 by Tran mandarin (a large family emigrating from China
to Hoi An in 1700s) built in 1802 in accordance with the
traditional science of winds and waters of Chinese and
Vietnamese. Located on the area of 1500m2, Tran
family temple consits of many sections such as temple of
ancestor worship and display of relics relating to family,
house...
This is the place where descendants get together,
worshipping, and solving affairs in their lineage.
Tran family temple is one of the place attracting
attention and interest from visitors.
Historical- cultural
museum (7 Nguyen Hue st, Hoi An city)
Established in 1989, the museum displays 212 artifacts
and documents made from porcelain, pottery, bronze, iron, paper
and wood. They represent many stages of development of Hoi An
trading port from Sa Huynh civilisation (the second century AD)
to Cham civilisation (from the 2nd to 15th century). Visiting
Hoi An Historical and Cultural museum, tourists get an overview
of history development and culture of the ancient town.
Pottery trade museum
( 80 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
Founded in 1995, the Pottery trade museum exhibits a rare
collection of 430 artifacts from the 8th to the 18th century.
Most of the artifacts are originally from central Asia, India,
China, Japan, Thailand and Viet Nam playing an important role of
Hoi An trading port in pottery trading in the earlier centuries.
This museum aslo shows that Hoi An was once a busy international
exchanging town for culture and business.
Sa Huynh cultural museum (149 Tran Phu st, Hoi An city)
The museum supplies a plenty of information about
ancient people of Sa Huynh civilisation who were the first
owners of Hoi An trading port, having exchanging relationship
with China, India, and South East Asia. About 216 objects which
are some 2000 years old of Sa Huynh civilisation are exhibited.
These items are found through explorations and excavations of
archaeological sites in such the places as Hau Xa, Thanh Chiem,
An Bang, Xuan Lam from 1989 to 1994.
The artifacts at the museum are evaluated as the most
unique collection of Sa Huynh civilisation in Viet Nam |
.: quangnamtourism.com.vn :.
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