The house of more than 100 years old, located on 900m2 of land in Hoa Hau commune in Ly Nhan district in Ha Nam province, has become a familiar tourist destination.
|
The house was built in 1910 with the typical architecture of old houses in the Northern Delta. It has five compartments, a vast tiled yard, and a garden with areca and banana trees. The roof is tiled with yin and yang tiles.
|
|
The front porch of the house is laid with wooden sheets that prevent cold winds in winter and reduce heat in summer.
|
In the house, there are 16 iron wood pillars, with the bases made of green stone. |
|
|
Building workers in the olden time used molasses, soot, lime and some other additives to make mortar to build the house. For such a long time, the walls have still not peeled off.
|
According to village elders, the house has been owned by seven generations. The house was built by Mr. Cuu Hanh, a wealthy merchant who was famous throughout the Red River Delta at that time. |
|
|
Hanh hired over 20 carpenters to build the house in nearly one year.
|
After Hanh passed away, her son Tran Duy Xam owned the house, then Xam’s son - Cuu Cat – a playboy - then sold the house to his creditor Mr. Tran Duy Binh.
|
|
|
After Binh died, the house belonged to his son Tran Duy Tao, who sold the house to a man named Tran Huu Hau for about 20 taels of gold. After Hau died, his niece Tran Huu Hoa inherited the house.
|
In 2007, the People's Committee of Ha Nam province bought the house for VND700 million from Hoa’s wife, Mrs. Tran Thi Sam, to preserve it as a tourist destination. |
|
|
|
The doors made of ironwood. |
|
|
These doors have not shown signs of damage for many years.
|
Wooden pillars and frame system. |
|
|
All trusses of the house are carved with dragons and phoenixes.
|
Red brick yard. |
|
|
Rain water tank in the garden.
|
The kitchen next to the main house. |
|
|
The red tile roof.
|
The aquarium and rock-works in front of the house. |
|
|
A paved walkway leads into the old house.
|
A pattern featuring a bat holding a coin meaning “good luck – good fortune” is carved from wood. |
|
Phung Huy - Thanh Tam
Son Dong village in Hoai Duc district, Hanoi is famous for making statues and worshiping objects. This land is also known for an old house that was built within one night.