One of the solid old houses in Cai Be was built during the French colonial period and has survived to this day is Ong Kiet Ancient House. The old house vividly shows the daily life and old architecture of the upper class.
Mr. Kiet’s mansion used to be one of the most beautiful villas in Vietnam when the Japanese organization JICA came to inspect it in 2002. However, it was seriously degraded, so JICA chose to repair it and apply for a permit. UNESCO Asia awarded cultural heritage certification. After more than a year of painstaking construction, the mansion was completed in 2004 and quickly emerged in Tien Giang as one of the region’s top tourist attractions.
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Location and history of Kiet Old House
After more 150 years, just the major architecture of the home remains. In 2002, a Japanese association, JICA sponsored more than 1.8 billion for restoring the mansion and dispatched a Japanese architect to this property to watch the construction for more than 6 months. Hence, the complete architecture and decorations of the traditional house were restored comparable to its original design. Kiet home was located in Cai Be District and was erected around 1838.
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
The highlights of Kiet Old House
The 1000m2 home is situated next to a 1.8 hectare orchard. More than 100 wood pillars used to separate the home into its five sections. Mr. Kiet’s old house was constructed and furnished in accordance with a traditional Southern design.
From the outside, it appears that Mr. Kiet’s home is situated in a huge garden along with many other homes. A sizable yard with stone benches, tables, and swinging hammocks can be found in front of the house.
The mansion was erected about 1838, with Dinh-style architecture with 3 compartments, 2 wings, almost 1,000m2 broad, with 108 columns, all manufactured from expensive woods such as ironwood, rosewood… The intricate patterns that have been carved and decorated on the trusses, columns, skewers, and walls are typical of old Southern houses.
One roof of yin and yang tiles is installed upside down on the roof. The column trusses have a conventional stacking arrangement. To allow light, air, and people inside the house to easily observe people outside, the part of the red rose in front of the house is made of square wood that is staggered.
Beautiful mother-of-pearl inlays decorate the interior walls and wall paintings. Connecting the major pillars of the home is a system of envelopes carved with Mai, Lan, Cuc, and Truc, beautifully styled, soft textures, gilded, revealing the degree and talent of appreciating the art of the house.
Home furnishings may be priceless antiques. The mahogany, chandelier, cupboard, oil lamp, and teapot all bring back memories of a southern land 200 years ago. The table and hatch are made entirely of precious wood that is glossy and colored with the passage of time. Additionally, the chairs feature intricate patterns, soft materials, and roomy, harmonious forms.
The home has identical timber walls, tiled roofs, and a floor made of square, rough-fired bricks. The owner has also kept the old house’s gate, which gives the garden a more substantial look.
Additionally, this location serves as a homestay tourism site, giving tourists the chance to unwind and get a glimpse of one of the most well-known wealthy families in the South in the past.
On the rafters and walls, the pattern designs were painstakingly carved. That adds to the particular look of the South’s upper class. Mr. Kiet’s wife, Ms. Chinh, said that her father-in-law once enjoyed collecting artifacts as a pastime. In the typical old home, a variety of artifacts and rare ceramic items have so been on the show. Additionally, he spent a lot of money engaging Hue’s top architects to construct and design the mansion over an extended period of time.
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
Kiet Old House in Cai Be – Image: Nhà Cổ Ông Kiệt
