Nestled along the Nhuệ River, Cầu Diễn Ward in Hanoi holds a story as winding as the river itself. Cầu Diễn, you see, was originally the name of a bridge spanning this very river, a vital crossing on National Highway 32. This bridge stood at the northwestern edge of the present-day ward, near the old Kẻ Diễn village. The area west of the Nhuệ River, where seven villages shared the name “Diễn,” lent its name to the bridge. These villages were Phú Diễn, Đức Diễn, Định Quán, Kiều Mai, Ngọa Long, Nguyễn Xá, and Văn Trì. Imagine, in those days, the bridge bustling with activity, a crucial link between communities.
Cầu Diễn Ward, as we know it today, didn’t spring into existence overnight. It evolved over decades. On October 13, 1982, the Council of Ministers issued Resolution 173-HĐBT, establishing the Cầu Diễn township. This new entity, under the jurisdiction of Từ Liêm District, combined portions of Mai Dịch, Phú Minh, and Mỹ Đình villages. Initially, the township covered 143 hectares and housed about 10,800 people. Then, administrative boundaries shifted. On September 17, 1990, part of Cầu Diễn’s area and population were reassigned to the newly established Mai Dịch township. Later, on November 22, 1996, following the division of Từ Liêm District into Cầu Giấy District and a smaller Từ Liêm District, Cầu Diễn township remained within the latter.
The final transformation occurred on December 27, 2013. The government issued Resolution 132/NQ-CP, further redrawing Hanoi’s administrative map. This resulted in the division of Từ Liêm District into two new districts: Bắc Từ Liêm and Nam Từ Liêm. Cầu Diễn was split, with 75.48 hectares and 10,126 residents going to Bắc Từ Liêm to form the wards of Cổ Nhuế 1, Cổ Nhuế 2, Phú Diễn, and Phúc Diễn. The remaining 137.75 hectares, along with 23,279 residents south of Highway 32 and east of the Nhuệ River, combined with part of Mỹ Đình village to form the present-day Cầu Diễn Ward within Nam Từ Liêm District. As of 2013, the newly established ward had a total area of 179.22 hectares and a population of 28,172. Cầu Diễn Ward, now a vibrant part of Hanoi, stands as a testament to the ever-evolving nature of urban landscapes. It carries the legacy of a simple bridge, a reminder of the connections that shape communities.