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Vietnamese architecture (Vietnamese: Kiến trúc Việt Nam) is the architectural style used by the Vietnamese through the process of historical development and the absorption and integration of regional and international architectures. Vietnamese architecture is reflected in the works from đình, shrines, temples, nhà thờ họ, citadels, palaces and housing architecture.

Ancient architecture

Ancient architecture in Vietnam had stilt houses (Vietnamese: nhà sàn) built with materials like wood and bamboo. Depictions of these houses are seen on Đông Sơn bronze drums. There are 2 types of houses with roofs curved up like a boat and roofs curved down like turtle shells. In the 2nd century BC, An Dương Vương built the Cổ Loa citadel with a spiral shape and was the first citadel built in Vietnam. Thus the name Cổ Loa, literally meaning "ancient spiral", cổ meaning ancient and loa meaning spiral.

Dynastic architecture

Vietnamese architecture has imported influences from China; during this period, Vietnamese architecture was influenced by Buddhist architecture.^[1]

Before the Ngô dynasty: When China invaded, the Chinese officials attempted to suppress the local culture; they melted bronze drums to attain bronze and assimilated the Lạc Việt people. The culture was gradually being assimilated and influenced more by Chinese culture. Military officers built ramparts and mansions; Chinese people immigrated to build houses with Chinese architecture.
Lý dynasty: When Ngô Quyền won independence, it opened up a new era for the nation. Chinese architecture greatly influenced Vietnamese architecture. The palace was built of wood, roofed with white and blue glazed tiles. After the Lý dynasty took over, the dynasty oversaw many reforms and kept the peace; this allowed the culture and the economy of Đại Việt to develop, and for Đại Việt itself to become prosperous. The Imperial capital was moved to Thăng Long from Hoa Lư. Architecture during this time was more developed: ramparts were built with stone and bricks, the palace's loft was made of tall, colored wood, and curved tiled roofs were embellished with intricate and decorative statues of leaves, dragons, and phoenixes.
Trần dynasty: Architecture used during this period was similar to the architecture used by the Lý dynasty but was developed further. The architecture still consists of three main buildings: tiền đường, thiên hương, and Upper Palace, as well as the garden and ornamental plants. The outstanding works that have survived until now are Bình Sơn Pagoda and Phổ Minh Pagoda.
Hồ dynasty: The architecture was inherited from the Lý–Trần dynasties. The Hồ dynasty was short-lived, but developed one of the most outstanding examples of Vietnamese architecture, the Tây Đô citadel.
Lê dynasty: Wooden palace architecture flourished, roofed with yellow and green glazed tiles. Folk art developed through carvings on communal houses and pagodas. Remaining outstanding works are Bảng Communal temple, Tây Phương Temple, Hội An ancient town. At this time, Western culture began to come into contact.

Architecture of the Lê dynasty on ceramics

Nguyễn dynasty: Phú Xuân Imperial city (Imperial City of Huế) was made of bricks built with some influence from French architecture and was a citadel with a moat around it. The palace's upper floors consist of brightly colored wood, roofed with yellow and green glazed tiles. In the North, people built wooden or thatched houses. People in the Central and South regions built rường houses.
Ngọ Môn – Huế imperial architecture, Nguyễn dynasty

A street in Huế during the Nguyễn dynasty

Modern architecture

Modern architecture of the Vietnamese people has been influenced by the West clearly, and at the same time, there has been the absorption and fusion of East–West architecture with its own identity to shape the architecture as it is today.

During the French colonial period: The French colonialists brought Western concepts and ideas into Vietnam. Cement began to be widely used. The outstanding works of Western architecture in Vietnam are the Hanoi Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral. There are also some outstanding works of Vietnamese-French architecture such as Khải Định Tomb, Palace of An Định, Cửa Bắc Church, and the Vietnam National Museum of History.
From 1954 to 1975 when Vietnam was divided into two by the Geneva Accords: architects in South Vietnam adapted the International Style to fit the country's culture and climates, most renowned are Ngô Viết Thụ, Bùi Quang Hanh, Nguyễn Hữu Thiện, Nguyễn Quang Nhạc,...^[2]
General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City designed by Bùi Quang Hanh and Nguyễn Hữu Thiện
Independence Palace designed by Ngô Viết Thụ

From independence to present: Vietnam borrows many architectural techniques and styles from many countries around the world and create many other unique new architectural styles.

Influences

Chinese architecture has influenced Vietnamese architecture immensely and many other countries around China, including Japan and Korea. While there is a lot of influence in Vietnamese architecture, there are also a few differences with Chinese architecture. The dougong (Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng; lit. cap [and] block; Vietnamese: Đấu củng) is an important part of Chinese architecture, is rarely or not found in Vietnamese architecture starting from the Lý dynasty where Vietnamese architecture began to develop and innovate away from Chinese traditional architecture. Vietnamese architecture was also influenced by feng shui (Vietnamese: phong thủy), buildings were built according to the directions and stars. A good example of this was during the construction of the Imperial City of Huế. Geomancers were consulted to find a suitable location for the citiadel. The citadel was oriented to face the Hương River (Perfume River) to the southeast. This differs from Beijing's Forbidden City in which faces true south.

French architecture has also influenced Vietnamese architecture with many colonial buildings being built with Vietnamese architecture and French architecture. The imperial palace of Huế, has many buildings using French architectural techniques and styles.

Gallery

Vietnamese wood carving typically found on the walls of old temples, a distinct feature of Vietnamese architecture

Vietnamese wood carving on one of the doors of the Phổ Minh pagoda
Vietnamese terracotta of dragons during the Lý–Trần dynasties, 11th–14th century. Used to decorate Vietnamese architecture
Stupa with lotus, bodhi leaf and dancer decoration, Hanoi, Lý dynasty, 11th–13th century AD, ceramic – National Museum of Vietnamese History – Hanoi, Vietnam
Porch, terra cotta, late 11th – early 12th century architectural material of the Lý dynasty
Trần dynasty ceramic pagoda
Trần dynasty ceramic pagoda
Trần dynasty ceramic pagoda
Trần dynasty ceramic pagoda
Collections of the Museum of Vietnamese History from the Trần dynasty
Collections of the Museum of Vietnamese History from the Trần dynasty
Decoration on the roof of the Trần dynasty
Collections of the Museum of Vietnamese History from the Trần dynasty
Dragon carving door from the Trần dynasty
Dang Minh stupa (replica), Hai Duong province, Tran dynasty, 13th–14th century AD
Restored Lê–Nguyễn dynasty, 17th–19th century
Lê dynasty ceramic spiritual house model, 17th century
Phổ Minh Pagoda, Phổ Minh Temple, constructed during the Trần dynasty
Bình Sơn Pagoda in Vĩnh Khánh Temple, constructed during the Trần dynasty
14th–16th century miniature shrine
The image simulates a corner of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long during the Lý–Trần dynasties
Painting a corner of the Trịnh lord's palace in Đông Kinh
Lord Trịnh's Ngũ Long Lầu (the largest building in the picture)
Panoramic view of the Imperial City of Huế before the war was ravaged
Đình Mỹ Lương, Mỹ Lương commune, Cái Bè district, Tiền Giang
Sơn Tây citadel under Nguyễn dynasty
Traditional house in the south of Vietnam