The Hanoi People’s Committee on July 25 held the last of a series of meetings to discuss the detailed plans for preserving the central area of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and the Co Loa Citadel.

Under the draft plan, the central section of Thang Long Imperial Citadel will be upgraded and developed into a cultural and historical park in Ba Dinh district, connecting with the No. 18 Hoang Dieu archaeological site and the new National Assembly Building.

Among the 119 architectural works in the central area, the plan suggests preserving intact seven and upgrading 19 others to use for other purposes. The buffer zone will be expanded to more than 176ha in conformity with UNESCO’s recommendation.

Regarding the Co Loa Citadel in the suburbs of Hanoi, 720 households will be relocated to serve the first phase of preservation in the 860ha relic. The core area of the citadel will preserved intact, while in outer areas, tourism services will be developed in order to promote the local cultural values.

At the meeting, most participants said that the plans have met the requirements of conservation. They also noted that the conservation should be conformed to UNESCO’s requirements.

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was recognised as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2010.

Source: VNA