VietNamNet Bridge – The Long Bien Bridge has become a symbol of Hanoi. The idea to change the image of Long Bien Bridge in the future is both supported and protested.




Architect Nguyen Nga lived in worked in Paris for many years before she returned to Vietnam in 1989. Since then she began cherishing a project to renovate the Long Bien Bridge. Public opinion began to "wave up" from July 2011 when Nga presented her project in a seminar held at 31A Van Mieu.

According to this project, the current Long Bien Bridge which is for traffic only will become a history museum with galleries, park ... where hosts cultural and artistic activities in order to create a tourist attraction.

Specifically, the bridge will become a museum while the space under the bridge will become a park. The nearby Phung Hung will become a hanging garden art street while Hang Dau water tower will be a museum. A lotus-shaped tower will be built at the bridgehead in Long Bien district to be an art museum. The road from the Hanoi Opera House to the Long Bien Bridge will become a street for pedestrians.

Nga said the total cost for the project is estimated at VND4,860 billion and it will be finalized in 2020. Of which, VND3,900 billion will be used to transform the Long Bien Bridge into a history museum; around VND200 billion to build the street for pedestrians; VND 50 billion to fix the water tower; VND260 billion to build the bridge arch; VND350 billion to turn the space under the bridge into a park; and VND100 billion to build the lotus-shaped tower.

The French government will provide Eur80 million or half of the fund for the rehabilitation of the Long Bien bridge if Vietnam has a reasonable improvement plan. The rest will be mobilized from other sources, Nga said.

Until now the Long Bien bridge improvement project is still "open." Many said that this is a good and bold idea which can make significant changes for the development of Hanoi and the country. But some have argued that this is unfeasible for many reasons given.

Although there is not a common voice to lead to a final decision on this project, the exhibition of the "Long Bien Bridge Rehabilitation Project" has attracted many people.

Some of the illustrations in the Long Bien bridge renovation project of architect Nguyen Nga:

Compiled by Mai Lan