Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – A great cultural heritage, the ancient capital of Hue in the centralprovince of Thua Thien-Hue has become an attractive destination on Vietnam’stourism map after its odyssey through difficulties.

Nearly three decades since its recognition as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1993, the Complex of Hue Monuments have passed the stage of emergency rescue and is transitioning to the one of stability and sustainable development.

The HueMonuments Conservation Centre is building a master plan on t💮he preservation andupholding of the Complexof Hue Monuments’ values till2030 with a vision to 2045 to fully realise the values of tangible and intangibleheritages, thus layi♊ng a legal foundation to tap and uphold cultural heritageswhich are to become the “nucleus” of Thua Thien-Hue heritage urban area in thefuture.

The NguyenDynasty (1802-1945) was the last feudal rule of Vietnam that left the capitalof Hue with rich tangible and intangible cultural heritages of outstandinguniversal value.

Hallmarks of heritagerevival

Accordingto researchers, among the ancient capitals of Vietnam, Hue is the only to keep the overallartistic architecture of the Royal Palace intact, which consists of citadels,palaces, temples and mausoleums. Throughwars and severe climate conditions in the central, the complex was devastated. Thecentre is holding photos of the relic taken decades ago, with many areasbecoming ruins. Directorof the centre Hoang Viet Trung said together with heavy consequences of the wars and difficult circumstances of the country during the first period ofliberation, the relic management and preservation work faced difficulties due tolimited technological capacity and investment. Aftervisiting Hue in 1981, UNESCO Director General Amadou Mahtar M’Bow appealed tosave Hue cultural heritages. Hestressed that Hue heritages are in danger and on the edge of the abyss of doom andoblivion. Only the attempt of the Vietnamese Government together with the internationalcommunity could help them out of this reality. Followingthe appeal, aninternational campaign to support Hue was widely deployed. In mid-1982, theHue Cultural and Historical Relic Management Company was established, thenrenamed the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre. Over the past near three decades, some 200 works and items have been restoredand upgraded. Provincial authorities have also relocated over 1,800households out of relic protection areas.

Entering a new period

Theestablishment of the Hue Monument Preservation Fund is expected to raise funds from not only from the State budget but also organisations and individuals. The provinceis also issuing lottery to pool resources for preservation. In the nearfuture, the centre will restore a number of key works in the Citadel.

Recently, the Ministry of Culture of France provided a non-refundable aid worth over 840 million VND (nearly 36,000 USD) to restorethe roof of Khai Tuong Lau (Khai Tuong Tower) at An Dinh Palace in the complex.

The project aims to repair roof leaks, andminimise the risk of damage to other parts of the building, contributing toreturning the inherent beauty of the palace and promoting the overall value ofAn Dinh Palace relic.  

The centre will be respo♏nsible for implementingthe work.

Trung said itrequires thorough preparation to build a record of restoration project,including studying materials and collecting feedback from experts and scientists.Therefore, a roadmap and plan are needed to ensure space for visitors. The centre alsopays special attention to the preservation and upholding of intangible culturalvalues of the Nguyen dynasty. It conducted anumber of scientific studies to revive important royal rituals such assacrifice ceremony to Heaven, Xa Tac ritual ceremony as well as festivals likeLegend of Huong River, Palace Night, and others. All have become attractive tourism products andhighlights in Hue festivals, contributing to spreading heritage value in the contemporary life./.