A Visual Timeline of Hội An's Historic Chùa Cầu Through the Eras

With the recent makeover of Hội An's Chùa Cầu sparking divisive chatter, it's a great time to gaze at the iconic Japanese bridge through the decades.

Photo archivest extraordinaire manhhai seems to have a photo of just about everything in Vietnam over the past century and a half. Photographs from foreigners and Vietnamese, professionals and hobbyists, have resulted in a stunning collection of Flickr albums. He occasionally scours his own collection to put together folders focused on a singular theme or topic, such as what the French called Pont japonais (Japanese bridge) or Pont couvert (covered bridge) in Hội An.

Photo of Chùa Cầu from the early 20^th century (unknown origin).

Last month's renovations revealed how devoted many are to its timeworn, semi-delapidated aesthetic. While photo quality varies, these old photos, some of which date back over 100 years, add context to discussions about what its “original” appearance refers to. 

Photo of Chùa Cầu taken by Sogny-Marien in 1918.

Believed to have been built by Japanese traders who were active in the city in the 17^th century, Chùa Cầu received its roof in 1653 and the current version owes its structural design to 18^th- and 19^th-century renovations. Major work has been performed on the bridge numerous times, including most recently in 1999 and in 2023–24. 

Have a look at these photos collected by manhhai below: 

Photo of the bridge from the side used in an early 20^th-century postcard.

Photo taken in the 1920s.

Photo taken by Jacques Gruault in 1938.

Photo taken in the 1940s and featured in Life magazine.

Side-by-side of the bridge in 1936 and 1959.

2009 photo taken by Luca Tettoni/Robert Harding World Imagery/Corbis.

[Top image: Chùa Cầu as published in E. Flammarion (Paris) in 1903]