The ceramic road along the Red River was a project to upgrade and maintain 6,000m of the dyke along the river to commemorate Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary in 2010. The road includes 27 pieces of ceramic paintings with different patterns popular during the Dong Son, Ly Dynasty, Tran Dynasty, Le Dynasty and Nguyen Dynasty eras.

The mural is also decorated with traditional architectural designs of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, paintings of Hanoi, and children and of local and international artists.

Images of some Hanoi icons like the One Pillar Pagoda, The Huc Bridge, and Khue Van Cac Pavilion in the Temple of Literature are also part of the road project work.

The project has inspired international artists like Joel Bennett of the US, Michael Geertsen of Denmark and Dominique de Miscault of France to participate.

The road was recognized as the longest pottery mural in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records in October 2010.

However, four years after the road was completed, the Guinness mural is deteriorating. Without timely measures, the work could fall into ruin.