Hoi An’s Japanese Bridge to be dismantled for restoration
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The famous Japanese Bridge in Hoi An will be completely dismantled in an effort to save the 400-year-old icon from ruin.
Thanh Nien News reports that the ornate covered bridge, which was built by Japanese traders in the 17th Century, is becoming weak due to recent flooding and the weight of the estimated 4,000 visitors who cross it each day.
Now, in an effort to strengthen the bridge, it will be dismantled piece-by-piece and each individual component restored or replaced as necessary.
Japanese cultural experts, who will provide technical advice on the project, said that the bridge can be repaired without affecting its appearance. Members of the Vietnam Culture Heritage Association have also suggested that the number of visitors on the bridge should be limited in future to prevent further damage.
Also known as the ‘Bridge Pagoda’, the historic structure stretches 18 metres across a canal in the UNESCO-listed centre of Hoi An. A Vietnamese icon, it appears on the country’s VND20,000 notes.
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