22/43.-Hoi An, Lantern Shop

During the 16th and 17th centuries the town of Hoi An underwent a period of expansion. Trade with Dutch, French and Portuguese ports was frequent. In the following centuries battles among competing royal families in the nearby imperial city of Hue destroyed the local economy. The construction of a new port in the neighboring city of Da Nang, led Hoi An to oblivion.

It was not until the 1980's when foreign scholars discovered the preserved architecture of ancient Hoi An, that the city recovered its splendor. With the help of the UNESCO and Poland, the town was restored. Since then, tourism has been the city's main source of income.

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