What is special about Hieu River, where runners of Tien Phong Marathon 2025 run?

Hieu River is a tributary of Thach Han River, originating from Ta Linh Mountain, the highest mountain in Quang Tri in Huong Hoa District, then flowing to Dong Ha City and then pouring into Thach Han.

In the process of innovation, Dong Ha city is aiming for the structure of a "riverside city", taking Hieu River as the center in urban space development planning.

There are 5 bridges across the Hieu River, one of which is the An Lac Bridge. This is a modern cable-stayed bridge with a total investment of over 200 billion VND, a road surface structure with 4 lanes for motor vehicles, and a 74m high lotus-shaped tower.

There are also Dong Ha, Bach Dang, April 28 and Song Hieu bridges.

The April 28 Bridge is a bridge combined with a dam to prevent saltwater intrusion into the Hieu River. The name of the bridge commemorates the liberation of Dong Ha on April 28, 1972, when all bases and military forces of the Republic of Vietnam in Dong Ha were completely destroyed by the liberation army, ending nearly 20 years of resilient and heroic struggle by the army and people of Dong Ha.

Hieu River is a place associated with the heroic history of the army and people of Dong Ha in the resistance war against the US to save the country. In the spring of 1968, the " Bach Dang on Hieu River" battle took place here, contributing greatly to the victory of Route 9 Khe Sanh not long after.

That year, on the Hieu River, near the Gia Do junction, the Dong Ha army and people coordinated with local troops to build a "Bach Dang River" fortification that sank many American warships. In particular, our army applied traditional fighting methods, using bamboo stakes, homemade traps, barbed wire, combined with laying mines, dropping torpedoes but burned and sank 1 patrol boat and 8 American general-purpose ships.

On the south bank of Hieu River, there is also Dong Ha Military Port, established after the liberation of Dong Ha, becoming one of the gathering and receiving places for goods on the Ho Chi Minh sea route, before being transported to the South.

Today, both sides of the Hieu River are prosperous and full of life. The bridges across the river not only connect traffic but also create a harmonious and sustainable connection of the structure of the "city by the river".

Amidst the strong development of the dynamic city, one can still find strangely peaceful moments on the Hieu River.

On March 30, this place will be extremely exciting when it becomes part of the running route of Tien Phong Marathon 2025, with the participation of more than 7,000 professional and amateur athletes. The tournament is expected to create a new momentum for the city that is developing strongly along the poetic Hieu River.

Pham Truong - Cong Huong - Thanh Hai