Entering the city of Hanoi, immediately you could catch sight of the famous ceramic wall on the way from Long Biên Bridge to the city center. This four-kilometer-long work of art, which has been in progress for the three years, runs along the city’s Red River dyke system. Ceramic Road is one of the major projects that were developed on the occasion of the Millennial Anniversary of Hanoi, the completed wall officially became the world’s largest ceramic mosaic, as recognized by Guinness World Records.

The idea for a ceramic wall along Hanoi’s Red River came from young journalist and painter Nguyen Thu Thuy who won a prize in the Hanoi architecture contest for her idea of transforming the dyke system around Hanoi into a ceramic mosaic.

The collective public work of art—Vietnam’s first—began in 2007 for the dyke wall of about 6.000m in length and 0.95m in height which runs along the road of Âu Cơ, Nghi Tàm, Yên Phụ, Trần Nhật Duật, Trần Quang Khải, Trần Khánh Dư and terminates at the pier of the Long Biên Bridge. The mural is organized in 21 sections and was designed by 35 professional artists from ten countries and supported by hundreds of artisans from traditional ceramic villages in Vietnam, Vietnamese and other children, and students from fine arts colleges throughout the country. The murals depict Vietnam’s landscape and peoples, and is said to be a visual narration of the country’s history.

Participating in the work of decoration are not only Vietnamese artists but also foreign embassies and culture centres in Hanoi such as the Goethe-Institut, L’espace, British Council, Dalte Centre and other culture centres from Russia and South Korea.

The mural embodies the country’s rich tradition in ceramics, of which I barely scratched the surface during a day of sightseeing to the town of Bat Trang. The entire village, it seemed, was dedicated to the making and selling of gorgeous plates, cups, vases, sculptures—you name it, they made it.

More than anything, Hanoi’s Ceramic Mosaic wall reminded everyone of the color and buzz and energy of Hanoi and all of Vietnam.