Grade 1 ancient house - Mr. Kieu Anh Ban's house, Son Tay Ward, Hanoi City

INTRODUCTION TO THE ANCIENT HOUSE RELIC OF MR. KIEU ANH BAN

Mr. Kieu Anh Ban's ancient house is located in Phu Hamlet, Dong Sang Residential Group, Son Tay Ward, Hanoi City, and is one of the typical ancient houses of Duong Lam ancient village. Built in 1816, having survived for more than 200 years, the house still retains many distinctive traditional architectural features of the Northern Delta region and has been classified as a Grade 1 ancient house.

The house has a five-bay, two-lean-to structure, with a harmonious layout comprising a gate, courtyard, garden, main house, and auxiliary area. The gate is offset to the left, opening onto a large courtyard in front of the house. The main house is used for ancestor worship and receiving guests, while the auxiliary area is arranged on the right for daily living. The house not only has architectural value but is also a place that preserves the family's traditional cultural features across many generations. The interior spaces are arranged in the traditional style, reflecting a way of life closely tied to family and community. The main bay is usually reserved for ancestor worship – a core cultural feature of Vietnamese life. The worship objects, the arrangement of the altar, horizontal plaques, parallel sentences, etc., all express respect and gratitude toward previous generations.

In addition to its architectural value, Mr. Kieu Anh Ban's ancient house also preserves the beauty of Vietnamese customs, practices, and traditional lifestyle. The house is still used as a place for ancestor worship, organizing festivals and Tet holidays, and as a gathering place for family descendants.

With its outstanding historical, architectural, and cultural values, the house was ranked as a city-level relic by the People's Committee of Ha Tay Province (now Hanoi City) under Decision No. 1223/QĐ-UBND dated May 13, 2008. Today, Mr. Kieu Anh Ban's ancient house is not only a precious family asset but also a meaningful visitor site on the journey to explore Duong Lam ancient village, contributing to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural heritage values of the nation.