VietNamNet Bridge – The Thang Long royal citadel relic at 18 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi, will become a cultural and historical park under a government-approved plan.

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Under the plan, the park will cover nearly 45,500 square meters and will have three parts: a museum, an underground display area and technical facilities.

The museum will be the most important part, and will showcase the on-the-spot excavation holes and items excavated in the Thang Long royal citadel.

After eight years of excavation, the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu opened for public for the first time in October 2010. It was closed in early November for research and preservation.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on August 1 recognized the Thang Long Royal Citadel as a World Heritage site.

The citadel was recognized because of its three outstanding characteristics: the length of its cultural history, the continuity of the citadel as a center of power, and the variety of relics it contains.

Relics found in the center of the citadel show that it was influenced by many different cultures, theories, and systems of thought.

The center of the citadel embodies the enduring cultural tradition of the people of Vietnam’s Red River Delta, a tradition which has existed for 13 centuries.

Restoration of the Royal Citadel began in 2006 when it was officially recognized as a special national relic.

PV