Introduction to Hoi An ancient town, a world famous cultural heritage

Not as busy and not as developed as Da Nang tourism, Hoi An has a completely different color. Where life is calm and the ancient space is still like that, even the involuntary flow of time cannot cover it. The roof tiles covered with moss, the streets filled with the colors of the lanterns, the architectural works and then the customs, habits, … seem to be intact. Post introduction to Hoi An ancient town today will show you clearly attractiveness, charm of ancient urban center of more than 400 this year.

Introduction about Hoi An ancient town is located, in which province?

Hoi An is very famous, but many visitors who have never been here may not know where this city is, in which province. In the overview of Hoi An ancient town will provide you with the most necessary information for you before you start exploring. This is an ancient town in the eastern coastal region of Quang Nam province, with a total natural area of ​​about 63.66 km2. Located in the lower Thu Bon River, about 30 km southwest of Da Nang city center and about 40 km from My Son Sanctuary.

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Possessing a quite convenient location, Hoi An has both a sea and an island. This has created ecological and geographical diversity. The land area is about 46.22 km2 bordering Duy Xuyen district to the south, to the west and north to Dien Ban, to the east to the coast about 7 km long. The island area of ​​about 15 km is Cu Lao Cham island.

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There are many old quarters built in the 16th century, which still exist almost intact. Since being recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site (1999), Hoi An has become a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

Information about Hoi An ancient town | History of the ancient city

Born in the second half of the 16th century – the period when Vietnam was under the rule of the Le Dynasty. In 1527, Mac Dang Dung reserved the Le house, the Dong Kinh area at that time was under the control of the Mac dynasty. However, in 1533, a group of soldiers from the Le Dynasty (led by Nguyen Kim) opposed the Mac Dynasty. After Nguyen Kim died, the younger son Trinh Kiem took over and the Nguyen Kim family was overwhelmed.

From 1558, Nguyen Hoang with his family and some soldiers retreated to Thuan Hoa area. After 1570, he continued to take control of Quang Nam province. Then, along with his son Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, he built the citadel, expanding trade with Western countries, China and Japan. Since then, Hoi An has become the busiest international trading port in Southeast Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries.

About the name Hoi An. According to the Westerners, Hoi An was called Faifo in the past, which means a port town/town. But this is just a name, not considered official, but Hoai Pho is the main name before the name Hoi An is used.

About Hoi An ancient town, what is beautiful and attractive to tourists?

Hoi An Ancient Town possesses an ancient and gentle beauty

Not too ostentatious, noisy, Hoi An simply and gently blends into the city atmosphere with a slow pace of life, different from the rush of other cities. If you visit Hoi An early in the morning, you will feel it all. It is really quiet, very suitable for those who are in need of space to rest after the hustle and bustle of life.

Thanks to favorable geographical conditions, Hoi An has become more and more prosperous, giving itself a beauty that is not duplicated. Six centuries have passed, the silhouette of the once bustling compassion has now been replaced by a more rustic, simple one. It is shown through ancient architectures, small and simple houses or romantic lantern streets, etc.

Hoi An Ancient Town – a place to exchange many cultures

It used to be a crowded and busiest trading port that existed for nearly 200 years. Since the Nguyen Dynasty allowed the opening of trade, this place has welcomed many merchant ships from all over Vietnam and Japan, China, the Netherlands, India, etc. This has created favorable conditions for the trade. Cultures of other countries are imported into Hoi An, creating a colorful and multicultural Hoi An.

Hoi An culture has the cultural interference of Eastern countries including China, Japan and Vietnamese culture. There is also the interference between ancient cultures, which is considered a social miniature of three ancient cultures, namely Champa, Sa Huynh and Dai Viet. However, this place still retains the soul of the Vietnamese people.

Hoi An Ancient Town – where there are special traditional festivals

Based on the history of being a busy trading port, a place of cultural exchange of many countries, Hoi An also has interesting and unique festivals that interfere with many different beliefs and customs. This seems to create a unique highlight in the drawing of Pho Hoi painting, which is enjoyed by both domestic and foreign tourists.

Currently, Hoi An tourism has famous festivals such as festivals to commemorate the ancestors of the profession, festivals to admire the village emperors, to celebrate saints and religions. Especially on the full moon day of the 14th and 15th lunar month. Along with that, there are many folk activities such as Bai Choi, Ho drill, Ho pounding rice, .. the games that seem to have been forgotten decades ago are still found here.F

Hoi An with traditional ancient architecture

It would be remiss to introduce Hoi An without talking about the architecture. Many people say Hoi An is like a book of time, each page is a history page of culture. Famous for its traditional, harmonious architectural beauty of houses, golden walls and roads. Despite experiencing many ups and downs of history, Hoi An ancient town still retains its ancient beauty intact, mossy silence in each brick, roof, tree line, … it is like an idyllic feature. in the character and the kind and sincere soul of the people of Hoi An.

Description of Hoi An ancient town architecture | What makes Hoi An attractive

House style in Hoi An

Coming to Hoi An, visitors can easily see one- or two-storey townhouses with narrow width (4-8 m), very long depth (10-40 m) like a tubular. This is the most common type of house here. Due to the harsh climate, the materials used to build houses have high strength and durability. Normally, houses in the old town will have a wooden frame structure with brick walls on both sides. The layout of the premises will include sidewalks, patios, main house, outbuildings, toilets, courtyards, three-room rear houses, and back gardens.

Each house, whether small or larger, ensures the harmony of space and nature with bonsai, rockery, … creating the overall beauty. Thanks to the unique architecture, the space of the house is always airy and full of sunlight. Bringing new life to the people and creating excitement for visitors.

Mossy roof tiles

All the houses in Hoi An are roofed with tiles, in the form of two roofs. Most of the main house and outbuildings do not share one roof, but two adjacent roof folds. In contrast, the bridge is roofed in the style of four roofs. Regarding the total card, the front house, the back house and the toilet are all with separate tile roofs.

A special feature, the tile used for roofing in Hoi An is a type of tile made from earth, thin, rough, square, slightly curved, about 22 cm long on each side and roofed in the yin-yang style. After the roof is finished, the tiles will be fixed with strips of tiles that protrude vertically, increasing the rigidity of the roof. The roof is built high into a rectangular shape. This form and decoration has impressed the ancient town of Hoi An .

Hoi An Street

The street is also a highlight that creates a unique beauty for this ancient city. The roads are arranged horizontally along a chessboard style with short, beautiful streets, winding and embracing rows of houses. Stepping through each of these small and beautiful streets, visitors will feel more clearly the beauty of Hoi An, see a part of the daily life of the people – a very peaceful and simple life.

Introduction to Hoi An with typical monuments and landscapes

Japanese Covered Bridge

Anyone who introduces Hoi An ancient town or visits this land cannot ignore the Covered Bridge. Covered Bridge, also known as Japanese Pagoda, is located adjacent to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street and Tran Phu Street. This is a unique and typical architectural work and is considered a symbol of Hoi An. It was built by Japanese merchants around the middle of the 16th century. However, due to the impact of time and under restoration many times, it has lost some features of the original architecture, replaced by architecture. Vietnamese-Chinese style.

Covered Bridge has the shape of the word Cong, the bridge surface is paved with wooden planks. The bridge has a soft curved roof and is carved with many delicate motifs. On the door, there are 3 Chinese characters carved: Lai Vien Kieu. On the slopes there is a small temple, and at the two ends of the bridge there are two groups of wooden monkey and dog statues sitting in adoration. This is the place where many beautiful photos are born.

Old houses in the old town

• Tan Ky ancient house

The Tan Ky ancient house was built nearly 200 years ago, has a tubular architecture with the interior divided into many compartments, each holding a separate function. The front of the house is used to open a shop, the back side connects to the river wharf as a place to produce and import goods. The materials and interior are mainly wood and are very delicately carved. This old house is honored to become a National Heritage Site and is the only place to receive Heads of State.

• Phung Hung ancient house

Located on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, Phung Hung ancient house with a lifespan of more than 100 years possesses a unique structure which is also an outstanding architectural work of the old town. The house has a high wooden attic and a wide corridor surrounding it, showing the exchange between Asian architectural styles. Here, information about the lifestyle of merchants in the ancient trading port of Hoi An is kept. This ancient house was granted the certificate of historical-cultural relic in June 1993.

Hoi An with its assembly halls

• Fukien

Legend has it that this is a small temple built in 1697 to worship Thien Hau Thanh Mau – a statue found on the coast of Hoi An. According to people’s opinion, this is the queen who helps merchants cross the ocean to trade everywhere. Some time later, the Fujian Assembly Hall was contributed by the overseas Chinese in Hoi An and restored to become the modern assembly hall.

• Cantonese Assembly Hall

The Cantonese Assembly Hall was built in 1885 by overseas Chinese. At first, it used to refer to Thien Hau Thanh Mau and Confucius, but after 1911, it changed to worship Tien Hien and Quan Cong. The harmonious combination of wood, stone and decorative motifs has created a unique beauty for the assembly hall.

• Assembly Hall of Chaozhou

This is also a work worth mentioning when introducing the ancient town of Hoi An . The assembly hall was built in 1845 to worship Phuc Ba General Ma Vien – a god who is good at controlling the waves and helping the traveling and trading of merchants everywhere go smoothly. Similar to the assembly halls in the old town, Trieu Chau has a structure with a finely carved wooden frame and beautiful wood and porcelain motifs.

Old town and ancient temples

• Ong pagoda

This temple was first built in 1653 and has undergone 6 restorations since then. Ong Pagoda has majestic and monumental architecture, is the place to worship Quan Van Truong statue, so it is also known as Quan Cong Mieu. It is considered the religious center of the people of Quang Nam province in the past and a place where traders often go to pray for good luck.

• Quan Yin Buddha from Minh Huong

It is the only remaining Buddhist temple in the heart of the old town. Not only has the beautiful architecture and landscape, but also preserves almost intact the wooden carvings carved by the artisans of Kim Bong carpentry village in Hoi An. Usually on holidays or full moon days, many people come here to burn incense and pray.

• Church of the Tran family

The Tran family church was built by a mandarin of the Tran family from China in 1802 according to the feng shui principles of both the Chinese and the Vietnamese. Located on a large area of ​​land with many items: the church of grandparents, the display space of relics related to the family, houses, etc. Coming to Hoi An, visitors should not miss this place if they want to understand more. about ancient culture.

Hoi An Museums

• History and culture museum

The museum, built in 1989, is a place to display 212 original artifacts and documents made of ceramics, bronze, iron, wood, paper, etc. Thereby reflecting the development stages of this urban – trading port since the world. 2nd century AD to 2nd century – 15th century and 15th century – 19th century.

• Museum of Commercial Ceramics

The Museum of Commercial Ceramics is also one of the addresses mentioned in many informational articles about Hoi An ancient town . This is actually an old house that was restored in 1995 into a museum. The Museum of Ceramics is currently located at 80 Tran Phu, displaying more than 430 artifacts dating from the 8th – 18th centuries. Most of the ceramic samples are from China, Japan, India, and Thailand. , Vietnam, … demonstrate the role of Hoi An in the ceramics trading network at sea.

• Sa Huynh Culture Museum

The place provides quite a lot of information about the inhabitants of Sa Huynh culture – the owner of the commercial port of Hoi An. Currently, the museum displays about 216 artifacts dating from 2,000 years ago discovered and deployed from 1959-1994. All of them are considered as unique and valuable collections of Vietnam today.

• Hoi An Traditional Medicine Museum

The museum is set up in an old house similar to Hoi An town house. This museum has been in operation since mid-March 2019, displaying more than 200 artifacts and documents related to the traditional medical profession. Along with that, there are many special spaces such as: Northern medicine sales area, re-inspection area for drying, storing drugs, space for processing some medicines…

What to do in Hoi An Ancient Town | Introducing experiences to try

Stopping on the land that was once known as the busiest commercial port in Vietnam, visitors will be very curious what to do here? In this introduction to Hoi An ancient town , Anh Khoa – Hoi An would like to tell you the interesting experiences that are:

Admire the colorful lantern street

You may not know, Hoi An is likened to a “lantern city” when it owns thousands of lanterns of all colors, sizes and shapes. Next to the rows of houses with rows of houses with eye-catching golden walls. Hoi An town at night will give visitors a completely different feeling when wearing a shimmering, blurry beauty. This is even more attractive on the banks of the romantic Hoai River and even the Arhat road – a colorful road. Those who come here once will be integrated into the rhythm of life and that romantic space.

Visiting the campus of Hoi An ancient town

Hoi An has never ceased to be attractive in the eyes of travelers, especially after receiving many awards and honoring it, it is even more attractive, the number of tourists is increasing. Spend some time walking around the old town, you will definitely feel lost in a country that only exists in fairy tales. The scenery is idyllic, the pace of life is light, the people are friendly and welcoming. Or you can also try the feeling of walking on the street by cyclo or bicycle, going through the streets and alleys to admire the ancient architecture and take some commemorative photos.

Watching the sunset on the banks of Hoai River

Hoai River is a tributary of Thu Bon river, a gentle river located right in the city embracing the old town becomes the focus of every journey. Visitors can take a walk along the river or choose a roadside coffee shop to admire the river and old town. In addition, you can rent a boat to walk around the river, watching the sunset gradually fall with colorful lights emanating from the lantern street. A special feature here is that the boat does not have a motor, so visitors will feel the closeness, peace and charm.

Come to Hoi An ancient town, enjoy the typical cuisine

Not as large as other cities, Hoi An is small but there is no shortage of places to eat and delicious food. You can stop at a roadside sidewalk shop or eateries and restaurants in the old town to enjoy specialties such as Cao Lau, Quang noodles, dumplings, cauldron cakes, fried mussels, corn tea. , wet cakes with grilled meat, pancakes, etc. Not only delicious food, but the decoration and service also make a very good impression on travelers..

The titles that make a name for Hoi An ancient town

With the values ​​​​that Hoi An ancient town has and is preserving for hundreds of years, has become a prominent name on the tourist map of Vietnam and the whole world. In recent years, Hoi An has excelled in being mentioned and honored on tourism forums, international newspapers/TV channels.

The following “achievements” can be said to be the pride of Hoi An in particular and of Vietnam in general. It is also thanks to these things that the name of the ancient town is becoming more and more widely known, making everyone want to come here once to feel it.

• Hoi An ancient town was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage (December 4, 1999).
• Hoi An has been certified by the National Administration of Tourism – Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as an ASEAN Clean Tourism City.

• Hoi An entered the top of the world’s most popular destinations in 2021 – Award voted by travelers via TripAdvisor
• Hoi An City was awarded the title of “Asia’s Leading Cultural City Destination in 2019” by World Travel Awards – the world tourism award in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Hoi An received the award “the most charming city in the world in 2019” by the famous travel magazine Travel and Leisuare.
• Hoi An Ancient Town leads in the Google search list and Hoi An image was honored on the homepage of Google.com on July 16, 2019.
• For two consecutive years, Hoi An ancient town has been ranked by readers of the American newspaper Travel + Leisure as the top 15 best tourist cities in Asia.
• Hoi An was voted by international television channel CNN as one of the 10 most romantic cities in the world.

Valuable services in Hoi An that you can use

Through the above information about Hoi An ancient town , you probably know why this land has become so special and attractive, right? Not too modern, not too ostentatious, that’s all, but it always has a strange charm. Come here once to feel the ancient, gentle, to admire that romantic scene and enjoy the delicious dishes… Guaranteed, if you have been there once, you still want to come back a second time.