Tay Do, or the Ho Dynasty citadel, is located in the hamlets of Tay Giai and Xuan Giai in Vinh Tien commune, Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa province.

The Tay Do citadel’s unique architecture and design were built with painstaking precision.

The citadel has a total perimeter of 3,513 metres and covers an area of 769,086 square metres.

The Ho Dynasty citadel has four gates in total. Pictured is the southern gate of the citadel.

According to archaeologists, an excavation of the southern gate unearthed a bluestone road connecting the entrance with the Nam Giao worship area in Don Son mountain. Pictured is the fortification wall that lies just outside the western gate. 

The eastern gate as it stands today.

The fortified wall of the eastern gate was made of large carved stones placed on top of each other without any form of cement.

Two stone dragons were discovered in 1937 and placed outside the citadel.

Many experts believe that the Tay Do citadel is one of the largest and most unique citadels in all of Southeast Asia and one of few remaining stone fortifications in the world.

Many experts believe that the Tay Do citadel is one of the largest and most unique citadels in all of Southeast Asia and one of few remaining stone fortifications in the world.

On June 27, 2011, the Ho Dynasty Citadel was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. In 2012, the Prime Minister signed a declaration to recognize the Ho Dynasty Citadel as a national relic.