Hang Dau Water Tower
With a history of nearly 130 years, the Hang Dau Water Tower (Hang Dau Well) is considered an ancient architectural landmark in hanoi.
The Hang Dau Water Tower, also known by various names such as the Hang Dau Water Safe, Quan Thanh Roundhouse, and Hang Dau Well, is situated on the border between the Ba Dinh and Hoan Kiem Districts. Alongside the Don Thuy Water Tower, this structure played a crucial role in providing water to the city during the French colonial era and later became a historical monument of the capital city of Hanoi. Built with hewn stone, the tower has a cylindrical shape, with a diameter of 19m and stands three stories tall with a pointed roof. In the middle, there is a lightning rod column, making it regarded as the most significant architectural achievement of its time.
The tower is strategically located at the central intersection of six busy streets where people come and go. These are Hang Cot, Phan Dinh Phung, Hang Dau, Hang Giay, Quan Thanh, and Hang Than. At the main pinnacle, it forms a small square. Additionally, it adjoins a flower garden named Van Xuan.
The water tower is an architectural structure with a remarkable lifespan of 129 years, spanning the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. In the late 19th century, the residents of Hanoi, expressed a growing need for a clean water supply.
With its cylindrical structure consisting of arched walls, the interior area of the tower spans approximately 250m2, featuring numerous interconnected archways along the circular path following the tower's walls. When visitors explore the Hang Dau Water Tower, they move in a circular direction, passing through the arched openings of the tower. Each time they traverse one of these arches, unique artistic spaces are revealed, offering a plethora of delightful surprises.
At present, the water tower no longer serves the function of storing or supplying water to the people. However, in the modern era, the water tower has a new role as a magnificent monument, a testament to the French colonial period. The tower now exists as a symbol, living on in the hearts of the people of Hanoi as a memory of a bygone era.
Story: Khanh Long Photos: Cong Dat/VNP
Translated by Nguyen Tuoi