At a major conference held in the town last week, both Vietnamese and Japanese cultural and architectural experts agreed that the only way to save the bridge for posterity was to completely dismantle it and then restore it with modern reinforcements. Attendees heard the bridge’s supports and abutments were cracked.
The Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association’s professor Luu Tran Tieu said after the seminar the restoration of the bridge was urgent. He explained that delegates had agreed that before the structure was taken down it needed to be photographed and measured down to the finest detail to ensure it was rebuilt authentically.
Visiting Japanese university professor Tomoda Hiromichi noted the bridge was a testament to his country’s long friendship with Vietnam and he considered his participation in the project an honour. A spokesperson for the local People’s Committee said the restoration project would likely start next year and take three years to complete.
Iconic Hoi An bridge faces being dismantled for restoration
News in Asia
Cultural experts in Hoi An say the only way of saving its covered bridge is to dismantle it and strengthen the basic structure. The 400-year-old Japanese style bridge is the Vietnamese heritage town's best known site and attracts an estimated 4,000 tourists a day.