Long Biên Bridge: The Steel Witness

Long Biên Bridge was constructed between 1899 and 1902 by the French engineering firm Daydé & Pillé, under the direction of Gustave Eiffel. At the time, it was one of the longest bridges in Asia, spanning 2.4 kilometers across the Red River. The bridge was originally named the Doumer Bridge, after the Governor-General of Indochina. Its design is classic Eiffel: a steel lattice structure, with a central railway line flanked by roads for cars and pedestrians. The steel was imported from France, and the bridge was considered an engineering marvel. Today, it stands as a monument to colonial ambition — and to the resilience that has kept it standing.

Long Biên Bridge has survived where other structures have not. During the First Indochina War, it was bombed by French forces retreating from the city. During the Vietnam War, it was a strategic target: the bridge was bombed repeatedly by American aircraft, with the aim of cutting the supply route to the north. The spans were destroyed and repaired, destroyed and repaired again. The bridge still bears the scars of that era — sections rebuilt with different materials, the original steel alongside later additions. For Hanoians, the bridge became a symbol of endurance: a structure that, like the city itself, would not be broken.

The best way to experience Long Biên Bridge is on foot. A narrow pedestrian path runs along the side of the bridge, separated from the traffic by a steel barrier. The walk is about 2.4 kilometers from the city center to the far side of the Red River, and it takes about 30 minutes at a leisurely pace. As you walk, you’ll pass cyclists carrying goods, motorbikes weaving through traffic, and trains crossing the central line. Below, the Red River flows, its sandbars dotted with gardens. The views are extraordinary: the city skyline to the south, the countryside to the north, and the steel lattice of the bridge itself, a structure that is both industrial and elegant.

Long Biên is not a museum; it is a working bridge. Every day, thousands of cyclists and motorbikes cross the Red River on its narrow lanes. Farmers carry baskets of vegetables from the gardens on the riverbanks. Workers commute from the suburbs. Vendors balance their goods on bicycles, weaving through the traffic. The bridge is at its busiest in the early morning and late afternoon, when the light is golden and the energy is palpable. For photographers, this is the time to capture the bridge in motion — the flow of people, the shadow of the steel, the river below.

The Red River (Sông Hồng) gives Hanoi its name — the City Within the River. The river is wide and muddy, its waters colored by the silt of the mountains. In the dry season, sandbars emerge, and farmers plant vegetable gardens on the banks. In the wet season, the water rises, sometimes threatening the bridge’s foundations. From the bridge, you can see the scale of the river, the barges moving goods, the children swimming. The river is both a barrier and a lifeline, and the bridge has been its only permanent crossing for more than a century.

Self‑Guided Walk: Cross the bridge on foot, taking time to photograph the steel structure and the river views. Allow 1–2 hours round trip.
Cycling Tour: Rent a bicycle and cross the bridge like a local; continue to the gardens on the riverbanks.
Photography Tour: For photographers, a guide can arrange access to the best vantage points, including the bridge itself and the riverbanks.
Combined Itinerary: Pair Long Biên Bridge with the Old Quarter or the Red River gardens for a morning exploration.