Soviet Expert Zone - Memory Land on the Mountainside

On the quiet hill 79 in Hoa Binh ward, in the heart of the city along the Da River, there is a memory that still silently preserves the shadow of the glorious years - a place once called by a solemn name: Soviet Expert Area.

A corner of the Soviet Expert Zone.

More than half a century ago, when the Hoa Binh hydroelectric construction site echoed with the rhythm of steel, concrete and the persistent working hands, it was also the time when the expert area began to take shape - as a model "small city", the most modern in the North. Elaborately planned on the most beautiful feng shui hill on the right bank of the Da River, the expert area was not only a place to live for Soviet engineers and workers but also a living symbol of the steadfast Vietnam - Soviet friendship, an architectural mark that time cannot erase in the hearts of those who have set foot there.

Rows of ancient trees line the road with a series of stairs.

People call it “a miniature Russia in the middle of the mountain town”. The living space is designed to be closed but full of light, warm in winter, cool in summer, making the most of the natural terrain. The soft winding roads, embracing each row of sturdy houses in the Russian style: thick walls, large windows, sloping roofs, modern technical systems that until now still make new urban areas have to learn. The reasonable multi-level staircases, football fields, cultural houses, medical stations, schools... all blend into a harmonious whole like a lively, vibrant park.

Rooster Castle in the expert area.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Hai, a former construction worker, now has white hair, but his eyes still sparkle when he mentions the expert area. “I used to hold a trowel and build each brick here under the direction of a Russian engineer,” he said. “Back then, each construction was not just cement and steel, but passion and pride. We knew we were creating a part of cultural history.”

That history is not only engraved in the works. It also lives in the sounds of Russian music nights, the sound of the Accordion , the gentle music resounding from the courtyard of the cultural house; in the dance of blond-haired, blue-eyed experts with their Vietnamese friends; in the passionate fragrance of the magnolia and white sua flowers that return every spring; in the crisp laughter of children playing under the shade of the trees along the fairy-tale castle.

A bas-relief symbolizing Russian culture.

The cultural house still has the old designs.

Time passed. When the Soviet experts completed their mission and returned home, the expert area entered a new chapter: It became a temporary residence for cadres and workers in the early period of the province's separation. Then came young families, low-income workers, newlywed couples... People came and went, but the memories remained.

Years and lax management have caused the expert area to slide into disrepair. The imported Russian tiles, the exquisite light bulbs, the white porcelain bathtubs - once symbols of comfort - have disappeared without a trace. Glass doors have been replaced with makeshift wooden ones. Street lights no longer work. Stairs are chipped, drains are clogged, and a foul smell permeates the air. Front gardens have been encroached upon, turned into parking lots and storage areas. The children's playground has become deserted, collapsed, and rotten as if forgotten by time...

Russian style sculptures are still preserved.

But anyway, the expert area is still a beautiful memory . The Russian-style reliefs are still boldly imprinted on the walls of the cultural house - now converted into a tourist attraction by a business - reminding us of a glorious time. The winding roads are still occasionally strolled by people, children still play in the fairy-tale castle area, the remaining rosewood trees still bloom white in March, evoking a heartbreaking nostalgia.

That memory still lives silently in the heart of the city, in every resident of Hoa Binh ward - like an old book chapter, although the ink has faded, the paper has turned yellow, but the content is still sparkling, still makes the heart flutter every time it is turned. Currently, the expert area is home to thousands of households in Hoa Binh ward, the young generation of the past is now old, many have returned to their ancestors, the next generations were born and grew up still living in the Soviet Expert Area.

People take care of flowers in front of their house.

Now, amidst modern urban life and the constant pressure of development, the Soviet Expert Zone is like a “gentle scratch” in the heart of the city - a place that reminds us of a time of youth, an era where architecture, people and friendship intertwined into symbols. Is it possible to restore the expert zone, not only in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of spirit? Because there, the foundation is still strong, and more importantly, the memories have not faded. Because if memories are what make up the identity of a land, then the Soviet Expert Zone is the source of deep memories, where the past has never slept.

Le Chung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/khu-chuyen-gia-lien-xo-mien-ky-uc-ben-pho-nui-236635.htm