Located within Hanoi Old Quarter, the ancient house at 87 Ma May Street, built in the late 19th century, is intact with typical architecture of ancient houses on Hanoi streets.
The house consists of two main blocks linked together by a square yard in the middle of the ground floor, and a small balcony on the 1st floor. The yard is included at the centre of the building to moderate the air, and provide the house with sunlight and cool winds. The balcony above is an ideal place to put small plants and flower pots for the owner’s interest and relaxation.
The room on the ground floor which is street-front is used for selling goods, and the room on the next floor is living room to host the guests and worship the ancestor also. The room which is behind and linked to the living room by a balcony is a bedroom. On the ground floor, the space behind is for production activities, then a kitchen and bathroom.
All of the walls in this house were painted with typical yellow like other ancient Hanoi houses, and all furniture and decorative items are preserved in good condition. Though restored in 1999, this house still remains real and has ancient beauty.
Today, the house is open for tourists to come and see how ancient Hanoians lived, and to enjoy as well as buy some Vietnamese traditional decoration items and souvenirs.
