The beautiful French architecture of the over 100-year-old Hanoi Opera House

October 11, 2024 | 11:42

TPO - Construction began in 1901 and to date, the Hanoi Opera House has undergone two restorations and renovations, while still retaining the basic values ​​of French architecture and decorative arts, but has been upgraded with nearly 400 tons of air conditioning, sound, lighting, and sanitary equipment...

Construction began in 1901 and has now become one of the iconic landmarks of Hanoi. For domestic and foreign tourists, the Hanoi Opera House is always on the list of must-see destinations in the capital.

Hanoi Opera House was started to be built on the land which was formerly a swamp of two villages in Phuc Lam commune, Tho Xuong district (now Trang Tien area, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) in 1901.

The Hanoi Opera House is imposing with its long front steps, its doors facing the present-day August Revolution Square (then called Theatre Square). At that time, the approved budget for the construction of the theatre was 2 million French francs.

The Opera House was then used as a venue for classical art forms such as opera, chamber music, drama, etc. to serve the upper class French mandarins and a few wealthy Vietnamese. Performances at that time were held four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The Hanoi Opera House is divided into three floors. The first floor is the main hall with a T-shaped stone staircase leading to the second and third floors. In addition to the performance area, the second floor also has a mirror room (1 main room and 2 small rooms) where important ceremonies take place, signing ceremonies of government documents or welcoming high-ranking officials.

The Hanoi Opera House also has great historical and architectural value. The building is historical evidence of the cultural and social development of Hanoi and Vietnam during the French colonial period, and is a relic of a period of architectural development in Vietnam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is also the place where important historical events took place associated with the August Revolution and the early years of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

"We aim to retain as much of the past as possible, from the way the roof is covered with Ardoise tiles to the installation of modern equipment. When we go to the Hanoi Opera House today, we will not see many changes. But in fact, the restoration work has put into it hundreds of tons of modern equipment to both meet the restoration requirements and upgrade the function of this building," said Prof. Dr. Hoang Dao Kinh.

In 2015, the Hanoi Opera House underwent its second renovation after many years of deterioration. In the early days of renovation, the appearance of the theater caused controversy because it was too bright. After two coats of paint, the Hanoi Opera House was restored to its original appearance in 1997. Photo: Collected.

Hanoi Opera House has undergone two restorations and renovations while still retaining the basic values ​​of French architecture and decorative arts, making it the most popular check-in spot in the capital.

Hanoi Opera House is not only a typical destination of Hanoi but also a place to take graduation and wedding photos. This is also a way for people to express their love for a cultural and artistic symbol that is over a hundred years old in the capital. Photo: Collected.

Gia Linh - Referee

Source: https://tienphong.vn/kien-truc-phap-tuyet-dep-cua-nha-hat-lon-ha-noi-hon-100-tuoi-post1681150.tpo