What's special about the 100-year-old tiled bridge on postage stamps?

The 122-year-old Phat Diem covered bridge in Ninh Binh has unique architecture and was printed on a Vietnamese postage stamp in 2012.

Cầu ngói Phát Diệm được lựa chọn in hình và phát hành trên bộ tem bưu chính cầu mái ngói năm 2012. (Ảnh: Thiết kế tem)

Phat Diem tile-roofed bridge was selected to be printed and issued on the 2012 tile-roofed bridge postage stamp set. (Source: Vietnam Post)

Phat Diem covered bridge (or Kim Son covered bridge) crosses the An River in Phat Diem town, Kim Son district (Ninh Binh). The bridge was built in the year of Nham Dan 1902, with its ancient features and unique architecture of "upper house, lower bridge", holding high artistic value among ancient bridges in Vietnam.

Phat Diem covered bridge has a rainbow shape, the roof is covered with traditional red tiles of the Northern Delta, both sides of the bridge have railings and pillars made of ironwood, the walkways at both ends have steps. The bridge has 3 spans, each span has 4 compartments, total length 36m, width 3m...

Along with Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge (Thua Thien Hue), Chua Luong tile-roofed bridge (Hai Anh commune, Hai Hau district, Nam Dinh), Phat Diem tile-roofed bridge was also selected to be printed and issued on the 2012 tile-roofed bridge postage stamp set.

Cầu ngói Phát Diệm có tuổi đời 122 năm. Ảnh: Trần Nghị

Phat Diem covered bridge is 122 years old. (Photo: Tran Nghi)

According to historical records, Kim Son district was formerly a coastal marshland where Dinh Dien Su (land reclamation official) Nguyen Cong Tru recruited people, established villages, and built dikes to reclaim land from the sea in 1829. This included the construction of the An River.

For the convenience of travel, Nguyen Cong Tru built a bridge made of large wooden trunks across the An River. In 1902, the wooden bridge was replaced by a tiled bridge.

After 122 years, the covered bridge has always been preserved by the people of Kim Son as a treasure. Despite many renovations, Phat Diem covered bridge still retains its ancient shape and architecture...

Hằng ngày, người dân vẫn đi lại trên cầu để qua sông. Ảnh: Trần Nghị

Every day, people still travel on the bridge to cross the river. (Photo: Tran Nghi)

A resident of Phat Diem town said: “The covered bridge is used for daily travel, as a cool place and a place for passersby to stop and avoid the rain. This place preserves the beauty of the life and activities of local people from the past to the present. The bridge is also a symbol and pride of the people of the coastal area of Kim Son.”

Mr. Pham Van Sang, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Kim Son district, said that Phat Diem covered bridge has a unique architecture, and is one of the five remaining ancient covered bridges in Vietnam. Phat Diem covered bridge was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic in 2018.

Also according to Mr. Sang, on the An River, Kim Son district has simulated the shape and built 2 more tile bridges. Of which, Luu Quang bridge (Quang Thien commune) was inaugurated and put into use in 2015, Hoa Binh bridge (Nhu Hoa commune) put into use since 2016.

(according to Vietnamnet)

Source