Long Bien Bridge, A Historic Bridge with a Story of Resilience

Long Bien Bridge, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam

It's a very nice place

4.1

Introduction

In 1897, a design competition was held for the Toulbec railway bridge, which was to connect Paris and Orleans. Eiffel's work was selected as the design proposal. Subsequently, DAYDE & PILLE company won the bid to build the bridge structure, while Oriental Engineering Office was responsible for the construction of the approach bridge. During the Vietnam War, this bridge became a prime target for American airstrikes. To cope with this situation, simple railway ferry terminals were built 6 kilometers downstream from the main bridge at high, medium, and low water levels. On August 11, 1967, at 4 PM, 45 American planes bombed and destroyed the bridge. After a difficult repair effort, it reopened on September 30th. During this process, the Vietnamese side was responsible for repairing spans 8-13, while the 1st Battalion of the 10th Regiment of the Chinese engineering unit assisting Vietnam repaired the most severely damaged spans 14 and 15. Today, this bridge has become a beautiful tourist attraction, with many visitors taking photos to commemorate their visit. In particular, women with an Audrey Hepburn style often choose to have their photos taken here because it is a picturesque location.