Cultural
Vieille ville de Hoi An
Viêt Nam
Photo : Christophe Lam (CC BY 4.0)
Located in central Vietnam, this ancient town represents a well-preserved example of Southeast Asian architecture and urban planning from the 15th to 19th centuries. The site reflects the significant influence of Chinese, Japanese, and French architectural traditions, integrated with local Vietnamese building practices. Its narrow streets, traditional wooden shop-houses, and temples form a coherent ensemble that documents the region's commercial and cultural development during its period as a major Southeast Asian trading port. The town's layout and architectural characteristics provide tangible evidence of the exchange of cultural and architectural influences across East and Southeast Asia over several centuries. The preservation of its historic streetscape and building stock makes the site notable for understanding traditional urban settlement patterns in the region.
