With over 100 documents, materials, pictures, drawings on display, the exhibition is to open on 8 October, 2021 at website http://archives.org.vn and fanpage https://facebook.com/luutruquocgia1, to help the public have a more comprehensive overview of the changed settings around the Sword lake between the early years of the 19th to mid 20th century. Ho Guom (the Sword lake) – a remnant section of the past Nhi Ha river, a famous attraction of the Capital, is surrounded by the streets of Hang Khay-Le Thai To-Dinh Tien Hoang.
With its favourable location, Ho Guom was chosen by the French as the centre for Making it into a nowaday Ha Noi right after they had arrived.
View of Ho Guom.
In the eyes of the French architects, Ho Guom was seen as a crossroad-a meeting point of the East-West architectural styles and cultures, which was a harmonious combination between native quarters in the north and expatriate quarters in the south. Together with the old habits, the traditional life styles of Hanoians, the new facade of a western urbanity had brought many modern things to the native people’s life. Such the resonance had created an authenticity to present Ho Guom and the old Ha Noi quarters. The familiar images of Hanoians’s lifestyle in general and residents living around Ho Guom in particular, the edifices built by the French coupled with various landscapes, historical, cultural relics will be illustrated through 3 themes: Changes of Ho Guom facade; Conserving Ho Guom’s historical, cultural space; Ho Guom-Centre of services and cultural leisures.
Though the exhibition, it is expected to bring to the audience the good memories of the past Ho Guom and Ha Noi.
Thanh Huong