![]() According to historical records, this gate was built in the 10th year of Canh Hung Dynasty (1749), called Dong Ha Mon (Dong Ha gate orthe gate of Dong Ha ward). ![]() This work was restored twice, in 1804 and 1817, under the reign of King Gia Long. The current architecture is the result of the first repair in 1804. ![]() O Quan Chuong was designed as a vong lau - a typical architecture of the Nguyen dynasty, with the front facing O Quan Chuong Street and the back looking to Hang Chieu Street. ![]() The gate has 2 storeys. The first storey has three doors: a door in the middle of 3m high and 3m wide, and two side doors of about 1.65m wide, 2.5m high. ![]() ![]() There is a watchtower upstairs. ![]() On the front, there is a rectangular frame with three embossed Chinese characters meaning "Dong Ha Gate". ![]() ![]() On the left of the main door is a stone stele made by Hanoi Mayor Hoang Dieu in 1881. ![]() The materials used to build the gate are large-sized bricks and stones, which are similar to materials used to build the Temple of Literature. ![]() The gate is called Quan Chuong Gate to commemorate the merit and sacrifice of a general who joined about 100 soldiers of the Nguyen Dynasty to fight French troops when they attacked Hanoi citadel for the first time (1873) through the gate of Dong Ha. ![]() According to historical records, in the reign of King Le Hien Tong (1740 -1786), Thang Long royal citadel had 16 gates. In the 20th century, only five gates were mentioned: O Cau Giay, O Cau Den, O Cho Dua, O Dong Mac and O Quan Chuong. ![]() ![]() ![]() In the French colonial period, four of the five gates were destroyed, leaving only O Quan Chuong. ![]() |
Photo: Kien Thuc |
Pha Le