Located along the 17th parallel, once the temporary military demarcation line dividing North and South Vietnam for 21 years under the 1954 Geneva Accords, the Hien Luong – Ben Hai relic complex is a witness to a time of hardship and sacrifice of the Vietnamese people and a shining symbol of national unity and aspiration for peace. (File photo: VNA)
Fierce “loudspeaker battles” and “flag battles” once took place along the demarcation line, reflecting the unwavering will and steadfast belief of Vietnamese people in the North toward their compatriots in the South. (File photo: baotanglichsu.vn)
The Northern bank was painted blue, the Southern bank was painted yellow.
Looking southward from Hien Luong Bridge, this historic structure, Built by the French in 1952, was destroyed by US bombing in 1967. It was later restored in 2002 and inaugurated on May 18, 2003.
On the southern bank of the Ben Hai River is the “Aspiration for Reunification” monument, depicting a mother and her child gazing northward, an evocative image of separation, loss, and unwavering faith in national unity.
(Photo: VOV)
The slogan “Long live a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam” is a solemn oath and a burning aspiration of the entire Vietnamese people during the 21 years of division.
The Hien Luong flag tower, with its 108-square-meter red flag bearing a yellow star, flies proudly as a symbol of sovereignty and the indomitable vitality of the Vietnamese people.
Ceramic murals at the base of the flagpole
The exhibition house of the Hien Luong – Ben Hai historical site preserves artifacts from a period marked by hardship and resilience in Quang Tri.
International visitors now come to Hien Luong Bridge to learn about its history, a place that has become a powerful destination for peace education. (Photo: VOV)
Hien Luong is often described as the “longest bridge in the world”, not in length, but in history. Though it stretches less than 200 meters, it took 21 years for the people of its two ends to cross over it.
​​The renewed appearance of the Special National Relic Site of Hien Luong – Ben Hai, following its most extensive restoration in 20 years, is now ready to welcome visitors on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of national reunification. (Photo: VOV)