Thang Long Citadel eyes heritage status
Thang Long Citadel eyes heritage status
The Thang Long Royal Citadel complex in Ba Dinh District in Ha Noi. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is looking into the cultural heritage status of the complex. — VNA File Photo
HA NOI — Documents that make the case for world cultural heritage status for the Thang Long Royal Citadel complex have arrived in Paris for consideration by the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The documents were recently completed after ten revisions, and according to the National Cultural Heritage Committee, the documentation is the most comprehensive and scientific file to ever be prepared on the site. The work was carried out by domestic scientists and experts from Japan, France, the UK, Australia and UNESCO.
“This is the first time experts from UNESCO have helped us from very start of research to writing the documentation,” said Nguyen Van Son, director of Co Loa-Ha Noi Ancient Citadel Relics Preservation Centre.
“The UNESCO experts also helped us translate the Vietnamese version into English.”
The files on the site are illustrated by 435 slides and a documentary video of more than 41 minutes on the relics. Documentation describes the ancient citadel and the present situation of the site, as well as outlines factors affecting the preservation and buffer zone of the site and its global archaeological value.
Son said the relic was a unique world heritage site.
“The relic contains remains from a series of continuous dynasties with artefacts reflecting different values and cultures depending on how deep archaeologists dig. These many layers have both fascinated and challenged researchers.”
The documentation notes, “Thang Long Royal Citadel archaeological site reflects the harmonious blend of Asian architectural styles, urban planning, sculpture and large-scale buildings from thousands of years of history.
“This shows the history of how the Vietnamese state developed as well as the growth of social institutions together with the flourishing of local cultural values.”
The core of the site is the remnants of the ancient citadel and archaeological site located at 18 Hoang Dieu Street, which borders Phan Dinh Phung and Hoang Van Thu streets in the north, Nguyen Tri Phuong Street in the east, Bac Son Street in the south, and Hoang Dieu Street in the west.
The buffer zone of the site covers the whole Ba Dinh Square area leading up to Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, which borders the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence.
According to Son, UNESCO experts would like to enlarge the east of the buffer zone till the end of the Old Quarter, the south of the buffer zone to the Temple of Literature, the west to Ngoc Ha Street and the north up to Truc Bach Street.
“However, we have limited the buffer zone within the Ba Dinh Square area to facilitate management,” Son said.
He added that the part of the site bidding for UNESCO heritage status was only a fifth of the original Thang Long ancient citadel.
“We were bogged with a lot of difficulties when completing the files,” said Tran Quang Dung, deputy director of the centre.
“We only had two years to examine a site that dates back 1,300 years and to also complete writing the documentation in a proper way so that it would be officially considered as a World Cultural Heritage site by the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long Royal citadel in 2010.”
Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, deputy chairwoman of Ha Noi People’s Committee, said she believed the site’s heritage status would be recognised by UNESCO.
“This will be good news for not only Ha Noi but also the pride of the whole nation during the anniversary,” she said.
By the middle of next month, the secretariat of the World Heritage Committee will provide feedback on the bid and offer further suggestions to help Viet Nam complete the official files for submission before February 1 next year.
Between March and May 2010, UNESCO consulting agencies will examine and consider the documentation and by July 2010 the committee will make a final judgement on the files at its annual meeting.
“The site’s value is great, but UNESCO is also very strict,” said Son.
The site was accidentally discovered in 2003 during initial work in a project to build a new National Assembly building.
Relics found in the ground remain relatively intact and have been well preserved.
Archaeological artefacts underground have been discovered and studied for many years.
Researchers have found many architectural vestiges and artefacts from the period of Chinese domination before the Dinh and early Le dynasties and from the Ly, Tran-Le and Nguyen dynasties.
The areas around the Ba Dinh National Assembly Hall at 18 Hoang Dieu Street were especially fruitful, revealing significant architectural vestiges and artefacts of the Thang Long Royal Citadel.
From December 2002 to the beginning of 2004, the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute excavated a large 19,000sq.m area at 18 Hoang Dieu Street, which is the biggest archaeological excavation site in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia.
An ancient citadel complex was discovered along with many relics and vestiges discovered from Dai La Citadel (7-9th century) to Thang Long Citadel (11-18 century) and Ha Noi Citadel (19th century).
Archaeologists have found that each layer of culture they dig into has a depth of about 1m. At some excavation holes, relics of different periods are found on top of each other. A depth of 0.90m to 1.90m into the ground contains relics of the Le dynasty from the 15th to 18th century; from a depth of 1.90m to 3m archaeologists have found relics from the Ly and Tran dynasties from the 11th century to 14th century; while a depth of 3m to 4.20m contains relics of the Dai La period or Pre-Thang Long period during the 7th to 9th century.
UNESCO ratified the World Heritage Site titles for the Complex of Hue Monuments in 1993, Ha Long Bay in 1994, My Son Sanctuary in 1999, Hoi An Ancient Town in 1999 and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in 2003.
Many other sites have been submitted to UNESCO for the status including Ba Be Lake, Cat Tien National Park, the Ho Dynasty Citadel, Con Moong Cave, Huong Son Complex of Natural Beauty and Historical Monuments and the Area of Old Carved Stone in Sa Pa Town.
Thang Long, which is in the centre of modern day Ha Noi, was chosen by Ly Thai To, the founding king of the Ly dynasty, as the capital of the Dai Viet Kingdom (now Viet Nam) in the Autumn of 1010. Thang Long means ascending dragon, symbolising the will and thirst for independence of the Vietnamese people after more than 1,000 years of Chinese domination.
Since its founding Thang Long was almost continuously the capital city of the Dai Viet Kingdom throughout different dynasties. Since 1945, it became the capital of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. During the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), the capital was moved to Hue.
The citadel system incorporated three ring ramparts. The outer ring was the Dai La Citadel, which ran along the Red River in the east, To Lich River in the north and west, and the Kim Nguu River in the south.
The Dai La citadel functioned as both an outer defensive rampart for the whole capital city and a complete dike system. The second ring was the Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel), where the central governmental bodies were located.
The third ring was the Cam Thanh (Forbidden City) , which housed the residences of the King and royal family. The architectural structures (such as system of palaces) were most concentrated in the Forbidden City and Royal City, whose centre was the Can Nguyen Palace (later known as Thien An Palace or Kinh Thien Palace) built on a small hill called Nung Mound.
Although slight displacement was observed, in general, the location of the citadel rings and architectural structures have remained unchanged. — VNS
By : http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
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