Upon being renovated, an iconic bridge in Vietnam’s ancient citadel of Hue will have exclusive areas for sightseeing and taking photos.

The facelift being given to the Truong Tien Bridge over Huong River in Hue City will add another dimension to the popular tourist destination in the north-central province of Thua Thien- Hue.

Aside from covering the surface of the bridge with a new layer of asphalt, two pedestrian paths along both sides of the structure will be lined with tiles, said Dang Nguyen Ngoc Linh, deputy head of the provincial road management department.

Ten balconies with access from the pedestrian paths will also be added to the bridge to provide a space where local residents and tourists can observe the beautiful scenery and take memorable photos.

Vehicles travel on Truong Tien Bridge in Hue City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The balconies will have a half-hexagonal shape, Linh said, adding that the idea is inspired by an old design of the bridge from the King Bao Dai era between 1925 and 1945.

The name boards of both ends of the bridge will show ‘Truong Tien Bridge’ instead of Trang Tien, its former name, the official added.

The upgrade is estimated to cost VND3.8 billion (US$167,671) and is expected to be finished in mid- October.

A file photo captures two women walking on the old Truong Tien Bridge.

The 400 meter bridge was constructed by a French company in 1897 and originally named after King Thanh.

Following several name changes, it is now called Truong Tien Bridge and considered a historic and iconic symbol of Hue.

The first renovation took place in 1937 under the request of King Bao Dai, which added the sightseeing balconies to the bridge.  It was renovated a second time during the early 1990s, after which its sightseeing zones were removed.

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