Hoi An’s Renovated Pagoda Bridge Draws Mixed Reactions

via various source, 29 July 2024: The newly restored Pagoda Bridge in Hoi An, completed using the Anastylosis Technique, has garnered mixed reactions from the public. Some visitors feel the renovation makes the 400-year-old bridge look out of place, while others appreciate the necessary restoration to prevent collapse. The bridge, a key symbol of Hoi An tourism, is set to reopen on August 3, 2024.

The newly renovated Chua Cau (Japanese Pagoda Bridge), a historic landmark in the central ancient city of Hoi An, has elicited varied responses from the public.

Le Huy Tuan, 45, from Da Nang, visited Hoi An on Sunday and expressed his “disappointment” upon seeing the newly restored 400-year-old bridge. He felt the renovation made the bridge look “out of place” within the old town. Tuan remarked: “If all relics in Hoi An were restored like that, the town would no longer be ancient.”

“The old and new structures overlap, neither old nor new,” remarked a tourist from Quy Nhon. Bui Phuoc Quang, 42, a Hoi An resident, stated that “this appearance is too new” compared to the 1996 restoration.

Source: Hoi An’s Pagoda Bridge new look causes mixed reactions