The Toad flower garden, located quietly near Sword Lake, has been waiting for more than a century to receive a new look.

In the heart of Hanoi’s capital – the heart of the whole country is a “small and beautiful” project that has existed for more than a hundred years. As a child of Ha Thanh or someone who chooses this place as the “promised land”, I more or less have heard the name Toad Flower Garden.

Not a massive and monumental work, Con Toc Flower Garden is a small fancy work located only about 300m from Sword Lake. This area can be said to be a French architectural complex, including the State Bank, the Government Guest House, the old Metropole hotel…

Toad Flower Garden is currently in the process of being renovated, is more than a hundred years old, has many interesting stories about it.

The memorial is worth 3250 silver coins

Chavassieux flower garden with an area of ​​4488m2 is a work built by the French to commemorate Leon Jean Laurent Chavassieux (1848-1895) – Deputy Governor General of Indochina at that time.

In order to find the most perfect design, the French opened a selection of drawings in 1897 with a total estimated cost of 3,250 Indochinese silver coins, which people often call close to the people of the spread dress or the silver coin. flowers. And the current building located in the middle of the Chavassieux flower garden was built from the design of architect Harlay and contractor Guillaume.

Today, around the toad flower garden is the intersection between Ngo Quyen, Le Thach and Ly Thai To streets. In Hanoi in the first half of the twentieth century, this area was also mentioned, the flower garden was located in the area of ​​many high-ranking agencies.

When it was first put into use in 1901, the area around this building used to be called Chavassieux square. In 1945, the name was changed to Dien Hong flower garden.

Unique building in the heart of the capital

Located in the middle of the flower garden is a circular fountain wrapped around a large square stone pillar about 3.5m high. This monumental construction is modeled after the Romanesque, using the typical Ionic column format.

The most recognizable feature of the pillar supporting the monument’s stone pillar is that the top of the column has two spiral arches. The moldings that run only along the body of the column are the embodiment of the Doric column. This classic form, used for its strong and sturdy appearance, was also commonly used in ancient European temples.

Also because of the special with four toads spraying water around, people often call it the Garden of Toads rather than the Garden of Dien Hong. After 121 years of existence, the fountain project still retains its old beauty and this place is also the oldest fountain in Hanoi.

Toad Flower Garden

However, over time, this building is now degraded, so the authorities have anchored the surrounding steel wire to protect it.

There are small cracks on the top of the stone pillars, and the surrounding steel belts have also rusted, affecting the aesthetics of the building.

Over a century, through many times of maintaining the flower garden without synchronization, some items have peeled, subsided mixed with many types of tiles such as coconut leaf bricks, block bricks mixed with stones.

Recently, Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee and PRX Institute – Representative of IIe-de-France Region (France) in Vietnam cooperated with De-So Design Consulting Company to study and set up “Public space planning project and design project” piloting eco-friendly green space management in Hoan Kiem district” gives the perspective of the project implemented in 85 days.

Currently, the units have been promoting the renovation of the Con Toad Flower Garden. Talking to us, a representative of the supervision consultant (Coninco) said that the sidewalks and walkways are newly paved with 30×30 granite, the grass is covered with foreign green, covered with a system of trees and plants. light. In addition, the Con Toad fountain area is preserved in its original state.

Over the years, the Toad Flower Garden, especially the fountain, is a nostalgic place, attracting many people to visit, take souvenir photos, entertain, exercise… After the renovation, this place will return to be more spacious.