Thursday, 02/07/2020 16:45 (GMT+7)
A ceremony to announce the completion of the restoration project of the southern gate of the Ho Dynasty Citadel has taken place at the citadel which has been recognized as World Cultural Heritage.
The opening ceremony (Source: CPV)
Built in 1397 under the Ho Dynasty as the capital of Dai Ngu, the citadel is unique for its outstanding construction technique which used large blocks of stone, weighing from 10 tonnes to 26 tonnes each, carefully shaped, interlocked and elevated to about 10 meters high.
The citadel served as a military stronghold to protect the country from invasion, thus becoming a symbol of patriotism and national pride, and a witness to Vietnamese history during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. For the past six centuries, however, the forces of nature took their toll on the site.
The Cultural Preservation Fund of the US Ambassador (AFCP) approved a grant of 92,500 USD to conserve the stone vault and the southern gate of the citadel,the most important remaining structure of Ho Dynasty citadel, which has been severely damaged over the past time.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador of the United States of America to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink expressed his impression of the unique cultural and historical values of the Ho Dynasty Citadel World Cultural Heritage. He affirmed that the project not only preserves the cultural and historical values of Vietnam and the world, but also contributes to promoting the friendship between Vietnam and the US.
For his part, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Quyen thanked the ambassador and the AFCP for sponsoring the project, saying the project demonstrates special attention from the US Embassy for conserving and promoting the value of the heritage./.
Compiled by BTA