history of hoi an

Merchant Houses

Many of the old merchant houses are lived in by the locals, but fortunately are beautifully preserved. They ca be typically described as having a narrow and lofty interior with a barrel vault ceiling. The street entrance has a shop front where the merchant used to display his goods. This is still used for his purpose n modern Hoi An with its numerous galleries and antique shops. There is also a back room where the merchant’s family, apprentices and servants lived. The entire inside of the house is made of deeply polished hardwood. Walls, columns and entrances are decorated with poems, words, symbols, and patterns. Much of the heavy ornate furniture are originals, however some pieces are replicas. Private houses in this style open to travelers include Tan Ky House that has staff that speak fluent English and French. Japanese Bridge (chua Cau) This bridge was built in 1953 by the Japanese, although this may be hard to pick by its name! Its base is made of stone and the rest of ironwood, jackwood and other hardwoods. The bridge’s purity has been ruined over time with Chinese and Vietnamese ornamentation. There is a pagoda built into one side of the bridge. The bridge is still used as a popular thoroughfare and is on the western end of Tran Phu street.