| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (2),(5) |
| Year of registration | 1999 |
Hoi An was a prosperous trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries.Now famous for its lanterns, the city has developed by incorporating cultures from all over Asia, creating a colorful and unique townscape.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Hoi An is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Hoi An!
What is Hoi An Ancient Town? Strolling in the old town is popular
Hoi An is a port town located in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, near the mouth of the Thu Bon River. It is also famous as a day trip spot from Da Nang, a famous resort area.
The area registered as a World Heritage Site covers 300 square meters in the center of the Old City, with a surrounding buffer zone (buffer zone) as large as 2,800 square meters. Hoi An traded extensively with Southeast and East Asian countries and the rest of the world between the 15th and 19th centuries. It declined in the latter half of the 19th century, but conversely, the traditional townscape remained intact due to its influence.
The town is made up of more than 1100 wooden buildings, all of which are well-preserved, which is a point of appreciation. The houses are tiled and carved with traditional motifs.The most famous tourist attraction is the wooden Japanese bridge (Lai Yuan Bridge, now under restoration) built in the late 16th century; the traditional townscape of the 17th and 18th centuries remains to this day, and the area is now a popular tourist attraction as a town that retains a retro Vietnamese atmosphere.
Why is the Lantern Festival so famous?
Why are Hoi An’s lanterns so famous? It is not clearly known, but when Japan closed its borders to the rest of the world in the first half of the 17th century, the number of Chinese merchants increased and lanterns were brought in from China.Certainly, the streetscape of Hoi An today shows a strong influence from China rather than from Japan.
On the 14th day of the lunar calendar, which is the full moon, the “Lantern Festival” is held, when all lights are turned off in the town and only lanterns are lit. Tourists from all over the world come to admire this spectacle, so it is easy to see why lanterns have become Hoi An’s identity today.
For what reason is Hoi An on the World Heritage List?
Hoi An was recognized for
Registration Criteria (ii)
that Hoi An was an international commercial port that blended many different cultures.
Registration Criteria (v)
in that it is a well-preserved traditional Asian trading port.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments
Hoi An is famous for its Lantern Festival…but as a World Heritage Site, it is valued for what it once was as an international port.I hope you will take note of that as well! Hoi An is famous for its Lantern Festival…but as a World Heritage Site, it is valued for what it once was as an international port.I hope you will take note of that as well!
Incidentally, Hoi An has an image of lanterns, but the number of lanterns is surprisingly small outside of festivals.At the night market held every night, there are lantern stalls, and taking pictures there is very popular among travelers, perhaps because it creates a “Lantern Festival”-like atmosphere.
*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.
