Handover Ceremony The plan of the heritage site after the construction of the technical infrastructure and landscape of the 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site

On 10 February 2015, at the 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site (Thăng Long Imperial Citadel), the Management Board of the Project to construct the new National Assembly building and Ba Đình Convention Hall and the Thăng Long – Hà Nội Heritage Conservation Centre jointly organized the handover ceremony of the  plan of the heritage site after the construction of the technical infrastructure and landscape of the 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site.

The Project to construct technical infrastructure and landscape of the 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site was ratified by the Hanoi People’s Committee following Decision 2180/QĐ – UBND dated 22 April 2014. After nine months of construction, the project has completed the components and items exactly according to the design, meeting the deadline with guaranteed quality and compliance with the existing regulations and standards.

Components of the project include the demolition of structures that are either makeshift or unsuitable to the planning such as the former office of the Centre for Citadel Studies, the former office of the Board 5 for Protection and Care of the Health of Central-Level Officials, the former workplace of the car squad of the National Assembly Office, the makeshift storehouse for artifacts that need restoration, etc. The project also includes the levelling of the floor, construction of the yard, garden and internal road network, the landscaping of greenery, the establishment of a surface water supply and drainage system, lighting, the repairing of fences and entrance gates, etc. All the archaeological relics in this site have been refilled with sand by the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology according to standards. The system of shelters for Pits D6 – D4 have also been repaired and replaced.

The completion of the Project to construct technical infrastructure and landscape for 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site means that the whole area now enjoys a system of infrastructure and beautiful landscape in harmony with the National Assembly. It also helps preserve the relics that have been unearthed and preserve intact the subterranean relics, thereby contributing to the promotion of the site’s value and the service of the visitors, domestic and international alike. In doing so, the project provides the basis for the implementation of the second phase of the project, which aims to devise architectural design options, preserve and promote the values of 18 Hoàng Diệu Archaeological Site – a necessary step towards the master planning of the 118 Hoàng Diệu part of the central sector of the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel. The planning aims at conserving and turning the 18 Hoàng Diệu site and the Ancient Wall into a Culture-History Park, which is expected to promote the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, preserve sustainably the vestiges of structures, artifacts, unearthed archaeological sites while honoring the tangible and intangible cultural values and protecting them for future generations.

Once completed, the planning will help create a community cultural space that is harmonious with the overall architectural space and synchronous with the technical infrastructure of the Ba Đình Political Centre.

Kim Yến
Thăng Long – Hà Nội Heritage Conservation Centre