Vietnam - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 208

Sights

Hoi An Old Town

A Unesco World Heritage Site, Hoi An Old Town levies an admission fee to most of its
historic buildings, which goes towards funding the preservation of the town's architecture.
Buying the ticket ( www.hoianworldheritage.org.vn ; tickets 120,000d) gives you a choice of five
heritage sites to visit, including a traditional musical concert or stage play. Booths dotted
around the Old Town sell tickets.

Japanese Covered Bridge
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BRIDGE

(Cau Nhat Ban) This beautiful little bridge is emblematic of Hoi An. A bridge was
first constructed here in the 1590s by the Japanese community in order to link them with
the Chinese quarters across the stream.
The structure is very solidly constructed because of the threat of earthquakes. Over the
centuries the ornamentation has remained relatively faithful to the original understated
Japanese design. The French flattened out the roadway for their motor vehicles, but the
original arched shape was restored in 1986.

Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation
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(Phuc Kien Hoi Quan; opposite 35 Ð Tran Phu; admission by Old Town ticket; 7am-5.30pm) Origin-
ally a traditional assembly hall, this structure was later transformed into a temple for the
worship of Thien Hau (Tianhou), a deity from Fujian provi nce. The gaudy, green-tiled
triple gateway dates from 1975.
The mural on the right-hand wall depicts Thien Hau, her way lit by lantern light as she
crosses a stormy sea to rescue a foundering ship. Opposite is a mural of the heads of the
six Fujian families who fled from China to Hoi An in the 17th century.

TEMPLE

Tan Ky House
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HISTORIC BUILDING