Beer garden old street

The Hanoitimes – The French- built villas is a legacy that makes Hanoi’s urban elegance and beauty unique in South East Asia.

In recent years, many old French colonial mansions in Hanoi have been used for different purposes with loose management and preservation. This has seriously affected the architectural, historical and cultural values of the capital and requires action to preserve the architectural heritage of Hanoi urban city.

The old French villas have a long history, which are built across the core districts of Hanoi. These are works with many cultural and architectural values associated with a historical period of the capital. However, many of them have been deteriorated and damaged recently.

The old French villa at 51 Hang Chuoi Street used as a beer restaurant. Photo: Doan Thanh

Invaluable architectural value

The French- built area in Hanoi, which began construction in the 1870s, has left its mark on the development of the capital city. The grid layout was planned and built following the Western style for square blocks. The French divided the streets into small lots to build villas with spacious gardens. At that time, the “Western Zone”, as it was called, mainly consisted of two-storey villas, built for French civil servants and business people to live.

During 70 years (1875-1945), the Western Zone gradually formed, marked the development phase of Hanoi outside the old 36-street area and left an urban heritage to this day. Although there are differences in the structure, hundreds of villas built with the typical French architecture and design still coexist with the traditional architectural works of Vietnam, creating the unique East-West cultural interaction. French villas are considered as tangible works, reflecting the architectural history of the capital development. It is an existing legacy that makes Hanoi’s urban elegance and beauty unique in South East Asia.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi Architects Association, architect Le Van Lan has said that the planning and architecture works in the new stage of the city now requires renovation to meet development context. However, it is necessary to keep the culture in Hanoi’s urban area, also the difference of Hanoi from other cities. International visitors to Hanoi not only admire the modern urban areas but also are attracted by the heritage system, including the architecture of the old French villas.

Damaged heritage

The large value and profit of these villas have been damaged as their owners are using them for different purposes, which is contrary to the protection and preservation regulations of the country.

International visitors to Hanoi not only admire the modern urban areas but also are attracted by the heritage system, including the architecture of the old French villas.

For example, the villas of 51, 51A, and 55 in Hang Chuoi Street are now renovated into beer clubs and restaurants or villa 7/Lane 2 in the same street was demolished and replaced by a seven-storey building. Many others in streets of Tang Bat Ho, Pham Dinh Ho, Tho Nhuom, Tran Hung Dao have also been renovated into restaurants.

Deputy Head of Housing and Real Estate Market Management Division (Hanoi Department of Construction) Vu Duc Thang said in the government’s Decision No. 7177/2013 / QD-UBND, there are 1,253 old French villas in Hanoi built before 1954 which were classified and conserved into three groups, including 225 villas of Group 1 consisting of villas associated with historical, cultural, political events or with special architectural values; 382 villas classified in Group 2  for architectural values and 646 villas in Group 3 for other values.

“One of the difficulties of the state management of these villas is that the work is managed and used by many agencies, organizations and individuals, so in many cases there is no timely update for the changes in renovation and reconstruction,” Mr. Vu Duc Thang said.

Previously, the Legal Department (Hanoi People’s Council) stated that, at present, many villas and architectural works before 1954 in all three groups, especially Group 3, have been refurbished. Although the Prime Minister and the People’s Committee of Hanoi have instructed related agencies  to stop licensing  the  building and demolition of these villas, still 25 old villas have been either demolished or renovated.

The monitoring and management work is not strictly carried out either as 63 villas have been demolished without license, 19 villas reported to be severely degraded, 48 others have been reported as being brought downde but in fact 16 villas of them still remain and other 35 villas have only been repaired and so on.

Decision No. 52/2013 / QD-UBND on regulations on management and use of old villas built before 1954 of the Hanoi People’s Committee clearly states the People’s Committees of districts of Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Tay Ho are responsible to the illegal demolishment and renovation of the old villas. Part of the responsibility for the violations of land management, resident apartment development and urban construction order (including the improper renovation of old villas) in recent years belongs to the local authorities. In addition to the fine for violations, it is necessary to also have a fine on local government leaders or more serious  penalites should be applied on them such as forced resignation, instead of warning at the moment. Architect Nguyen Van Thanh Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association

The Hanoitimes – Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988) is the artist who discovers Hanoi’s beauty. He is considered to have rebuilt the images of Hanoi’s ancient streets since peace was restored after French war in 1954.

There is absolutely no doubt that Bui Xuan Phai is the artist who discovered the beauty of Hanoi. Phai is the first ever Hanoian painter who draw the ancient streets after the revolution of French war in 1954. Saying so does not imply that he had drawn them in order or drawn all of them. There are the streets that he painted tens of times (Ma May, Hang Bac, Hang Tre, among others).

The painting entitled “The nude girl sleeping on the roof” by Bui Xuan Phai.

Sometime, the streets emerge clearly and coherently, and sometimes they are just grasped by him as a general structure. There are paintings with people and shops, and there are also paintings without them. His street painting was performed as a routine, it seems he had the need of drawing Hanoi ancient streets every day.

The below paintings of Hanoi’s ancient streets were drawn by Bui Xuan Phai from 1952-1966. The attached explanation of Hanoi’s streets names by him has been taken from the book “The summery History of Hanoi’s Street Names” publishes in 1964.

In this book, alongside with the photos are pictures of Hanoi’s ancient streets illustrated by Bui Xuan Phai.

Hang Mam street

“Hang Mam street” – oil on canvas.

Hang Mam street is between Tran Nhat Duat and Hang Bac streets. In the old times, the street was specialized in trading fish sauces and other agricultural products. About 30 to 40 years ago in the street there came into being other trades such as beer brewery tombstone making and terra – cotta ware manufacture, among others.

At the time when the Thang Long capital was in existence, the street was in the location called Uu Nghia Gate (colloqually called Hang Mam Gate). In the French time the street was called “Rue de la Saumure” (the French equivalent of the Vietnamese name). Hang Mam has become the official name of the street since the revolution in 1954.

Hang Ma street

“Hang Ma street” – oil on paper board.

Hang Ma street runs from Hang Duong – Hang Buom cross – road to Phung Hung street. Now in the middle of the street, at number 56 is located the Yen Phu Commune House.

This street was specialized in making paper money, flowers, slippers, among others for worshiping. That is how the street got its name.

The street also produces and sells children’s paper toys during the Mid-Autumn Festival, paper flowers and lanterns for festivity decoration.

“Thuoc Bac street” – Oil on canvas.

Thuoc Bac street is between Hang Ma and Hang Thiec streets. About 100 years ago a number of people from the Da Nguu village (former Van Giang district, Bac Ninh province) moved here to open Chinese herb medicines shops. This is how the street got its name.

The French map of Hanoi of 1890 recorded the street in the name of “Rue de medicaments” meaning Thuoc Bac. This French name existed throughout the French time. Since the Revolution it has been called Thuoc Bac street.

Hang Bac street

“Hang Bac street” – Oil on canvas.

Hang Bac street runs from Hang Mam street past Hang Ngang – Hang Dao crossroad to Hang Bo street. Hang Bac is one of the 36 streets of the former Thang Long capital. It was specialised in casting silver bars and exchanging zinc coins and silver changes.

The people of this occupation gathered and formed into trade group. Most of them came from the Trau Khe commune (next to Dong An), Binh Giang district, Hai Duong province.

“Hang Bac street” – Oil on canvas.

According to the oldest family annals that exist (of the Hoang family), at first there were two persons from Trau Khe coming to Thang Long to stay at Phuc Co ward (about the head of present Nguyen Du street, near the present Hue street).They worked as gold and silversmiths.

In the Tay Son time (17781802), a gold- smith who after his marriage was sent to live with his wife’s family in No Ha, the Truong market (or Kim Ngan – Truong Thi) and became the trade creator there.

“Hang Bac street” – Oil on canvas.

At present there are two Commune Houses: Kim Ngan and Truong Thi worshipping the silver trade creator (legendry Hien Vien Hoang De, Creator of all trades), which belong to the Trau Khe villagers.

Hang Bac street is a most ancient street of the Thang Long capital’s industrial and commercial centre with several temples are now still in existence, such as: The Kim Ngan Commune House, The Dung Han Commune House, the Tho Commune House, among others.

Phat Loc alley

“Phat Loc alley” – oil on paper board.

The Phat Loc village or today Phat Loc alley is the home village of the Bui family. This family migrated to the place and named it after their home village.

According to the annals of the Bui family (whose ancestor – worshiping house is located at 30 Phat Loc alley), in 1717 the 11th ancestor of the Bui family left his home village for Thang Long to study at Quoc Tu Giam and later settled in the Ha Khau ward, Tho Xuong district or Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district nowadays.

“Phat Loc alley” – oil on canvas.

Ma May street

Ma May street is between Hang Buom and Hang Bac streets in today Hanoi’s Old quarer area.

“Ma May street” – oil on canvas.

The street was comprised of two streets: Hang May street that was next to Hang Buom and with shops selling rattan and cane and Hang Ma that was next to Hang Bac street and with shops selling paper-joss ware used in funerals such as catafalques, paper and bamboo puppets to be burned in worship.

“Ma May street” – Oil on paper board.

This Hang Ma street came into existence before the present Hang Ma street near the Dong Xuan Market.

That is why when the Hang Ma street near the Dong Xuan Market came into being, the Hang Ma street next to Hang Bac street was referred to as “the Lower Hang Ma street” to be distinguished with the new Hang Ma street where paper flowers and lanterns for worshipping were sold.

“Ma May street” – oil on canvas.

Later Hang Ma and Hang May streets were incorporated into Ma May street. In the French time it was called Quan Co Den street (Rue des Pavillions Noirs) due to the fact that at the time of the French army’s invasion of Hanoi after Guardnier was killed (1873), Quan Co Den army wing led by Luu Vinh Phuc came to stay in the street and Hang Buom street.

After the Revolution (1954) the street name was Ma May name has remained the same since.

(Source: Bui Xuan Phai – Life and Work by Bui Thanh Phuong and Tran Hau Tuan/ Fine Arts Publishing House 1988)