A ceremony to inaugurate the renovated Toad Flower Garden or so-called Dien Hong Flower Garden in the heart of Hanoi has been launched.
| The inauguration of the renovated Toad Flower Garden. Photo: Hoan Kiem District People's Committee |
Covering an area of 4,488 square meters in Trang Tien Ward, the garden is located at the intersection of Ngo Quyen, Ly Thai To, and Le Phung Hieu streets. Originally built by the French in 1901, Dien Hong Flower Garden is one of the few historically and architecturally significant gardens in central Hanoi. It completes the architectural landscape of Hanoi's most iconic area, home to Ly Thai To Flower Garden, State Bank Square, and Hoan Kiem Lake.
The Hanoi People's Committee, the relevant departments, and the local population have expressed a strong interest in the reconstruction project. It is part of the 2018-2021 action plan agreed by the Ile-de-France Regional Council and the city's People's Committee.
| Pham Tuan Long, Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, delivers a speech at the ceremony. |
Erected in 1901, the fountain has stood for nearly 120 years, retaining its historical charm as Hanoi's oldest fountain. Over time, however, the structure deteriorated, with wild plants growing in the cracks and furthering the decay. The tilting stone pillar was supported by a steel belt, detracting from its appearance, while the water spray had been inoperative for years.
Local and international experts meticulously preserved the fountain's architectural features, materials, and aesthetics to restore it to its original state. The hand-crafted restoration process took over four months and was completed in time for the celebration of the New Year 2025.
The restoration of the Toad Fountain marks the final phase of the renovation of Dien Hong Flower Garden, contributing to the enhancement of its surroundings, including State Bank Square, Ngo Quyen, Ly Thai To, and Trang Tien streets, as well as the area around the Opera House.
| The restored Toad Fountain in downtown Hanoi. |
The Toad Flower Garden or Chavassieux Flower Garden was built by the French in memory of Léon Jean Laurent Chavassieux (1848-1895), the deputy governor-general of Indochina at the time. To find the perfect design, the French held a competition in 1897 with a prize of 3,250 piastres (Indochinese currency) for the winner. The sculpture in the center of the Chavassieux flower garden, designed by architect Harlay and built by contractor Guillaume, won. Today, the Toad Flower Garden is surrounded by Ngo Quyen, Le Thach, and Ly Thai To streets. In Nguyen Van Uan's book "Hanoi in the First Half of the Twentieth Century," this area is described as an administrative district with many high-level government offices. When it was first opened in 1901, the area around the central structure used to be called Square Chavassieux. In 1945, it was renamed Dien Hong Park (the garden’s official name). In the center of the flower garden, there is a circular fountain that surrounds a large square-cylindrical stone column about 3.5 meters high. This monument was inspired by Romanesque architecture with its typical Ionic order. The two volutes (spiral decoration) in the capital of each column are the most identifiable aspect of the order surrounding the stone monument. The Doric order can be recognized by the shallow grooves that run only along the body of the columns. European temples dedicated to ancient male gods also often adopt this classical order because of its robust and solid appearance. |
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