Hue’s Truong Tien Bridge Shines Again in Its Original Silver Finish After Major Renovation

After nearly four months of repairs, Hue’s iconic Truong Tien Bridge is putting on the silver finish that once defined its appearance. The bridge, which crosses the Perfume River, is completing the final stages of a renovation project costing more than 12 billion Vietnamese dong.

The maintenance work forms part of a project to repair sections of National Highway 1 in Hue. Work on the bridge began in early June and was scheduled to take about 150 days, with completion targeted for mid-September before the city enters its rainy and storm season.

Contractors have treated rusted, damaged and weakened steel components, replaced bolts, repaired expansion joints and reinforced deteriorated areas. The work aims to improve the bridge’s load-bearing capacity, limit corrosion and extend its service life. The entire steel structure has received a silver metallic coating, chosen to closely match the bridge’s original color rather than the gray shade commonly seen in recent years.

Built in the late 19th century during the reign of Emperor Thanh Thai and designed and constructed by a French contractor, Truong Tien Bridge has stood through more than a century of historical upheaval. It has collapsed several times and undergone major repairs, including a large restoration in the early 1990s.

The latest work is intended not only to maintain safe traffic but also to restore the bridge’s graceful, nostalgic appearance. Truong Tien remains a vital link between the northern and southern banks of the Perfume River, as well as one of Hue’s best-known tourist destinations. Visitors continue to gather near the southern foot of the bridge, especially around the prominent flamboyant tree beside Nguyen Dinh Chieu pedestrian street, to admire the view and take photographs. Traffic has continued to cross the bridge during the repairs.