Chinese house wall in Hoi An in Vietnam

by Silva Wischeropp

This analogue photo of a colourful wall of houses was taken in 2000 with the Nikon F90X in the Vietnamese city of Hoi An. This picturesque-looking image motif was taken during my 3-month photo trip through Vietnam in the enchanting old town of Hoi An. Due to the open harbour and trade from ancient times, the Chinese influence is also visible in the architecture.
Many of these houses are under Unesco protection and must not be rebuilt or modernised in order to preserve the old cultural heritage. Probably the most picturesque and charming city in Vietnam is Hoi An. Compared to Hanoi, it is one of the smaller cities, but should not be missed on any trip to Vietnam. It is well protected at the mouth of the Song Thu Bon River about 30 km inland on the China Sea. The city was once the largest port in Southeast Asia, mainly due to its location on the Silk Road. The first traces of settlement in Hoi An date back to the 4th century. During the 16th century, under the Nguyen rulers, the port was further expanded, becoming an attractive international trading centre. More and more Chinese and Japanese traders settled here, and the city grew steadily. The individual sights of Hoi An can be easily explored on a walk. The old town is easy to stroll through, with restaurants and small shops everywhere in the old buildings that blend almost inconspicuously into the historic cityscape. Hoi An's old town was the only one to remain unscathed during the Vietnam War. Since 1999, this picturesque ensemble of historically valuable buildings has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The old residential buildings, halls, merchant houses and a few museums are particularly worth seeing. This fairytale city view is perfect for hanging in a wide variety of living and working spaces and lends a graceful, Asian, meditative atmosphere.