There are several bridges across the Red River in Hanoi, but only Long Bien deserves the honor of being a true city landmark. The capital of Vietnam is, in essence, a city of water, surrounded on all sides by rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, so there are plenty of crossings here.
Long Bien was built in 1902 based on a design by none other than Gustave Eiffel himself, the great master of erecting grand metal structures. The bridge turned out not exactly epic, but impressive – 2 km in length allowed Long Bien at the beginning of the 20th century to be included among the five largest bridges in the world! Moreover, it was the first steel crossing in all of Hanoi.
Today many view this vintage bridge as a symbol of the courage and resilience of the people of Vietnam, who did not submit to the invaders during the bloody wars. Long Bien was repeatedly subjected to bombings and threats of being blown up, but it endured and still adorns Hanoi's cityscape.
Nowadays, despite its age, this bridge still remains an important transportation artery of the city.
