Exploiting core values
Today, visitors can't help but feel proud when visiting present-day Hoa Lu, Trang An, contemplating majestic limestone relics and breathtaking natural scenery, and meeting the people of Ninh Binh. From this land, Ly Cong Uan set sail for Thang Long, and from then his successors continued to expand territory for a thousand years.
According to architect Nguyen Trung Dung, Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh provincial Institute of Planning and Construction, the province is determined to harmoniously combine the development of urban areas and preservation of values of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. To create a distinctive identity for an ancient capital - heritage urban area, the province should come up with specific planning that clearly differentiates the modern urban area from transitional area adjacent to the Trang An heritage site.
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Tourists visit historical and cultural relics at King Dinh Tien Hoang Temple in Hoa Lu Ancient Capital. |
He emphasized the need to carefully study public architecture, residential buildings, and commercial services that will be implemented in the transitional area. Buildings in the area should be distinctive and bear the colors of local cultural heritage, and not break the landscape and hurt the traditional values within the urban area at the same time.
According to Assoc. Prof., Dr. Bui Minh Tri, Director of the Imperial Citadel Research Institute (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), artifacts found in the archaeological excavation in the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital in 2021 have helped clarify the specific historical and cultural values of the ancient capital in the history of the nation. From the unearthed archaeological artifacts, it can be affirmed that Hoa Lu in the 10th century was a large capital city of an independent and self-reliant state with strong aspirations for development, as reflected in its name, Dai Co Viet and Dai Co Viet art. However, alongside the valuable historical and cultural values, the land of Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh still holds many mysteries that have not been fully discovered.
“Millennium-old heritage urban area” vision
At a conference, themed “Millennium-old heritage urban area and proposed policies for Ninh Binh,” in late 2023, experts, management officials, and scientists contributed constructive ideas to help the province come up with a set of criteria, mechanisms, and policies on building a millennium-old heritage urban area to turn heritage into property and cultural industry products in modern society.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said that Ninh Binh should choose to build a landscape, tourism, and heritage urban area with long-term and macro motto of creating a peaceful atmosphere for locals and a destination for visitors to both learn about the history of the nation, admire landscapes, and participate in cultural and sports activities and festivals.
Chairman of the Ninh Binh provincial People’s Committee Pham Quang Ngoc said that to make the most of potential and strengths of the province and soon achieve the goal of building Hoa Lu into a millennium-old heritage urban area, the province needs strong and appropriate mechanisms and policies on investment attraction related to planning, conservation and restoration, access to resources, and investment procedures.
Chairman Ngoc stressed that the goal of building Ninh Binh into a millennium-old heritage urban area and a central city by 2035 aligns with the potential of Ninh Binh province and the overall development trends worldwide.
* Since 2022, Ninh Binh has become a province that self-balances state budget and regulates revenue for the state budget. Its per capita income in 2022 ranked 12th out of 63 provinces and cities. Ninh Binh’s tourism industry has witnessed significant growth and is among the top 10 provinces with the highest number of arrivals. The province is currently one of the key tourism destinations, both nationally and internationally.
* On August 23, 2023, the Ninh Binh provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No.16-NQ/TU regarding the reorganization of administrative units at the district and commune levels in Ninh Binh province for the period 2023-2030. Under the resolution, by 2025, Ninh Binh city and Hoa Lu district will be merged into Hoa Lu city. This means that the new city will encompass nearly 30% of the area of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites.
Translated by Tran Hoai