Below are three famous ancient houses with a harmonious combination of Eastern and Western architecture.
House of the Prince of Bac Lieu
Tran Trinh Huy, known as the Prince of Bac Lieu for his wealth and ostentation, was born in 1900. The third son of Mr. Tran Trinh Trach, Trinh Huy owned many houses in 6 southern provinces. Many of his houses were elaborately decorated, but the most beautiful house was located in Bac Lieu city.
This house was designed and built in 1919 by a French architect. All the furniture in the house was imported from Italy and America. All the bricks, reliefs, marble tiles were shipped from France. Even the screws were engraved with the letter P - indicating that it was made in Paris. The precious porcelain was imported from China. When completed, it became one of his most beautiful houses.
After many years of renovation, the house still retains all its original luxurious details: furniture made from precious wood; intricately carved tables and chairs, and a bed estimated to be worth more than 1 billion VND. Trinh Huy was also the first person in Vietnam to own a private plane. At that time, there were only two people who owned private planes: he and King Bao Dai.
Huynh Thuy Le ancient house
Huynh Thuy Le ancient house, located on the banks of Tien River, is a blend of French, Vietnamese and Chinese architecture. This is one of the settings in the novel "The Lover" by famous French writer - Marguerite Duras.
More than 100 years later, the house still retains its beauty: Renaissance reliefs, graceful Greek arches. The exterior of the house blends with the warmth and familiarity of Oriental architecture: carvings of birds and flowers. Like the house above, the interior of the Huynh Thuy Le ancient house was imported from France.
The house was built in 1895 and became famous after being described in the work "The Lover", published in 1984. The story tells of the love between Huynh Thuy Le and the writer when they were young. In 1990, Jean Jacques Annaud adapted the novel into a film, making the house famous not only to locals but also to foreign tourists.
Binh Thuy Ancient House, Can Tho
In Annaud’s film, the ancient house of Binh Thuy was used as the setting for Huynh Thuy Le’s house. Built in 1870 by the Duong family in Can Tho city, the house is still owned by the family today.
Binh Thuy Ancient House is a balance between Eastern and Western architecture, with many precious heirlooms. The house has French-style arches and exterior reliefs, Gothic stairs leading to the main hall - furnished with precious Southern wooden furniture.
The garden is full of beautiful orchids. The charm of the house also lies in the collection of precious antiques such as a table with a marble top from China, a French sofa from the time of King Louis XV and a tea set, teapots and vases about 500 years old.
