Promptly handing over premises of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long Central Sector

Hanoi City People’s Committee recently reported the results of Prime Minister’s commitments on the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

General view of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Particularly, regarding the realization of 8 commitments of the Prime Minister to ICOMOS, Hanoi City People’s Committee excavated 5 pits with total area of 100m2 in 2011, in which 4 holes are located around dragon steps of Kinh Thien Palace, 1 hole near the Southwest of Northern Princess’s Palace. In 2012, Kinh Thien Palace was studied, explored and excavated with total area of 500m2. The City People’s Committee is instructing to study and expand buffer an implement the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 696 on master planning of the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.

Regarding commitment of ensuring unified management, currently, the City People’s Committee has received current conditions of A-B areas under the archaeological site at No. 18, Hoang Dieu (excluding profile, study results and exhibits). Two C – D areas have still been under control of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and not been handed over to the City People’s Committee, affecting the grasp of quantity of relics and plan of heritage conservation and improvement.

Currently, such two areas have been seriously downgraded; moss and vegetation have appeared; heritage surface is regularly flooded and surrounded by leaves and grass weed polluting the environment…

Inclusive 13.86 ha of the Ancient Capital of Hanoi, the Ministry of National Defense handed over Hanoi City 9.14 ha; the remaining of 4.72ha has not been yet.

Regarding commitment of building the National Assembly House in harmonization with the heritage without affecting the heritage safety, the current execution of the road in the North and the East of the work will breach the core area of the heritage.

Hanoi City People’s Committee completed draft Plan of heritage management, applying for competent authorities for approval; adding detailed supervision program and management plans in accordance with general orientations proposed in nomination documents; realizing training and improvement plans for staff of Thang Long- Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre; establishing regulations on sightseeing and ticketing for better management and supervision of visitors…

Basing on the above result, results and restrictions, to ensure the implementation of Cultural Heritage Law, World Heritage Convention and Vietnamese Government’s Commitments to ICOMOS, Hanoi City People’s Committee recommends the Prime Minister to instruct the Ministry of Construction to ensure the safety of the heritage during the construction of National Assembly House, particularly tunnel and car parking and to cooperate with the City People’s Committee to discuss the construction method, determine border between the Northern and Eastern road of the work, ensuring not to breach the core area of the heritage; guide Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences to work with the City People’s Committee to inventory heritages, relics and hand over documents, exhibits and premises at the Archaeological site, No. 18 Hoang Dieu in 2013; instruct related ministries, sectors and agencies to remove and hand over the remaining area at the Ancient City of Hanoi.