Hue is not only famous for royal constructions and ancient sites, but also appealing to tourists by the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful landscapes of the countryside. Thanh Toan Bridge is one of the amazing rustic attractions that you can easily explore with us on Hue countryside tour.

Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge was built across a canal flowing through Thanh Toan village which was renamed as Thanh Thuy village under the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri. The village of Thanh Thuy was established in the late sixteenth century. About 7 kilometers away from Hue city, the village is situated at Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy district.

Thanh Toan Bridge was established during Emperor Le Hien Tong’ s reign (1740-1786). Construction of the wooden bridge was initiated by Tran Thi Dao who is a niece of the sixth generation of the Tran family and wife of a high-rank mandarin in Le Hien Tong reign. In order to facilitate transportation of local inhabitants in the village, she had the bridge built. The transportation was also improved by the bridge, so the villagers did not need to go by boat as before. As the Emperor heard of her generous act, as a reminder for villagers to live up to her example, he exempted them from taxes. In 1925, Emperor Khai Dinh granted her a posthumous title and directed the villagers to put an altar to worship her on the bridge.

Thanh Toan is a 18.75 m long and 5.82 m tall wooden arched bridge which is divided into seven compartments. The bridge, looking from a distance, offers the appearance of a traditional house, and seven compartments look like seven little rooms of the house. Visitors can see the altar to worship Tran Thi Dao - the constructor of the bridge, and all of the rest compartments are sets of wooden platforms and parapets on both sides of the bridge for people to lay their backs. The architectural materials are constructed entirely of wood. In specific, artisans carved symbols on the bridge's roof with the design of 4 holy creatures, namely Dragon-Unicorn-Turtle-Phoenix.

It is one of 2 bridges remaining the most unique architectural style of “thuong gia, ha kieu” literally means "a house above a bridge" in Vietnam today, along with Japanese covered bridge in Hoi An. The bridge is an ancient architectural relic with high historical and cultural values that has reached into the moods and aspirations of many ages. In 1991, the bridge was greatly restored with the original design and officially recognized as a national relic by the Culture Ministry.

The bridge is closely linked to the Thanh Thuy village's overall space, including ancestral houses, temples, local markets, and a community house for organizing community events. You can visit and learn a lot about the simple daily life of local people in this peaceful region. Also, you will have the opportunity to visit a small museum of traditional farming implements, to witness the demonstration of agricultural practices.

For those who love to explore this unique Thanh Toan Bridge and rustic beauty in the rural area of Hue, accompany us on the fascinating route of Hue countryside tour  to gain wonderful experiences ever.