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The Citadel of Ho Dynasty, a magnificent stone structure built in the late 14th century, is a unique structure not only in Vietnam but also in the whole of East Asia and Southeast Asia.
Trieu Thi Huong, 27, a tour guide, said the Citadel of Ho Dynasty, built in 1397 in Thanh Hoa province in central Vietnam, is composed of the Inner Citadel, La Thanh Outer Wall, and the Nam Giao Altar in an area of nearly 156 hectares and surrounded by a buffer zone of over 5,078 hectares.
A tourist guide rests at the south gate of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, June 13, 2013. (Xinhua/Zhang Jianhua)
The citadel of Ho Dynasty was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2011 in Paris, France.
Huong said that according to legend, the citadel was built for only three months, from January to March 1397, by Ho Quy Ly, a high-ranking mandarin of the Tran Dynasty at the time.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows the broken city walls of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Zhang Jianhua)
In late 14th century and early 15th century, when the Tran Dynasty was in serious recession, Ho Quy Ly slowly took power, choosing Thanh Hoa as the new capital.
The reason why Ho Quy Ly decided to relocate the capital city from Thang Long, now known as Hanoi, to Thanh Hoa, some 150 km south of capital Hanoi, was to reduce the influence of the Tran Dynasty and also because Thanh Hoa, which was Ho Quy Ly's native place, is strategically surrounded by mountains and rivers, Huong said.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows ruined city walls of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Ho Nhu Y)
The Citadel of Ho Dynasty served as the capital of Vietnam from 1398 to 1407. It also served as the political, economic and cultural center of North Central Vietnam from 16th to 18th century.
The citadel was built in accordance with geomantic principles in a landscape of great scenic beauty between the Ma and Buoi Rivers in Vinh Loc district.
"La Thanh Outer Wall, which was reinforced with rammed earth and bamboo brushes, is the outer fence that protects the buildings and the residences within the capital. The La Thanh outer wall is about 10 kilometers long," Huong explained.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows stone dragon sculptures of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Ho Nhu Y)
The Inner Citadel was built on a fairly square platform with the facade facing the southeast. The length of each wall is nearly 900 meters, Huong said.
Inside the Inner Citadel there used to stand the King's palace, residences of members of the royal family and temples of worship but all these structures have been destroyed.
However, Huong said, that the foundation of the palaces and roads were buried underground. This was proved by the excavations in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011. The excavations in 2008 have revealed traces of Hoa Nhai Road or "Royal Road," which was built in 1402, connecting the southern gate to Nam Giao Altar, which was 2.5 km long.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows the south gate of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Ho Nhu Y)
The citadel has four gates, namely East, West, South and North, with the South Gate as the largest and the main entrance.
The citadel was constructed using large limestone blocks of 10 to 20 tons in weight. There is a stone block that weights up to 26 tons found at the West Gate, representing an advanced architectural technology and adaptation of geomantic city planning in an East Asian and Southeast Asian context.
"Built over six centuries and with the impact of weather and other natural disasters, it is a wonder that the citadel gates and walls are still standing mostly intact up to this time," Huong said, adding that some 25,000 cubic meters of stone have been reportedly used in the construction of the citadel.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows the west gate of the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Ho Nhu Y)
In July 2011, a quarry that provided the material to build the citadel was Discovered 2.5 km west of the citadel. Based on cutting marks on the surface of the stones and comparisons with stones from the citadel, experts believed that the stones were intended for the citadel.
"The round stone balls, with average diameter of around 30 centimeters, were put in combined with timber rolls of 2-4 meters in length to make a chain to transport giant stone blocks to construction site," said Do Thi Xuan Thanh, a tour guide at the museum.
Photo taken on June 13, 2013 shows a decoration terracotta tile with dragon pattern discovered at the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty being displayed at the museum of the citadel in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.(Xinhua/Ho Nhu Y)
The stone balls were also used as fodder for the stone cannons in the citadel. Nearly 500 stone cannon balls were found at the South Gate area during the excavation of the Royal Road, Thanh said.
With over 600 years of history and with the many legends that surround it, the Citadel of Ho Dynasty is not only a magnificent architecture but also a clear testament to the advanced construction technology of ancient Vietnam as well as to the country's unique cultural identity and rich history.
