Thanh Toàn tile roofed-bridge will be luring to tourists with monthly night market on the 16th day of every month. VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Việt

Thừa Thiên - Huế — A monthly night market will be held at Thanh Toàn roofed bridge in Thủy Thanh Commune, Hương Thủy Town in central province of Thừa Thiên - Huế at 7pm every 16th day of lunar month.

The first market will take place at the site on Friday.

There will be various folk cultural activities at the site like a food market, bài chòi (folk singing and game of central region), reproduction of ancient lifestyles and farming practices.

“This is a community event sponsored by local enterprises and supported by authorities,” said Nguyễn Văn Phúc, deputy director of Thừa Thiên – Huế Tourism Department.

“The bridge has been a tourism destination in daytime but there have been no activities here at night. The market is in the guidelines of the province’s tourism sector to meet tourists’ demands.”

The tile-roofed bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the country. It links the two banks of a canal running through Thanh Toàn Village and located 8km to the east of Huế City centre.

The bridge, which is also considered a typical destination to view the tranquility of Huế, was recognised as the National Relic Site in 1990.

Ever since, the number of tourists to the site has increased. During the peak season between March and September, each day, the bridge receives 200 tourists, mostly foreigners while in the low season in the rest of the year, except rainy days, as many as 100 tourists visit.

The province has invested nearly VNĐ13 billion (US$558,000) to restore the bridge by strengthening its foundation, restoring structure using original materials and improving lighting system.

The 17m long and 4m wide wooden structure was built in 1776 by Trần Thị Đào, who was the wife of a great mandarin during the reign of King Lê Hiển Tông (reigned in 1740-1786), to ease local traffic. In 1920, under the reign of King Khải Định (1916-1925), an altar was installed on the bridge to honor the builder. —VNS