Hue ancient capital’s relics restored

As many as 132 works and items in the Complex of Hue Monuments have been restored since it was recognised by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage in 1993.
Significant works include Ngo Mon (Noon Gate), Thai Hoa Place, Hien Lam Pavilion, Dien Tho Palace, Sung An Palace, Thien Mu Pagoda and An Dinh Palace among others.
According to the Vice Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Mai Xuan Minh, the centre has set up ties with over 50 international organisations, including those from France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Poland and Germany to research and restore the relics.
It has also organised a number of international and national seminars on the research and restoration of the relics’ tangible and intangible cultural values; and composed, translated and published more than 20 research works on Hue’s culture, he said, adding that besides internal resources, the international cooperation has had notable effects.
The centre has recently reached some agreements with organisations from Japan, the UK, France and Germany on the restoration of numerous works in the complex.
Among those are a 32 million USD Japanese-funded project to completely restore Can Chanh Temple and a 1 million USD project funded by the Rhone Polenc Chemicals Co. of France to preserve Hien Lam Pavilion and Royal Palace .
Japan has also provided nearly 250,000 USD to preserve and promote the values of Hue Royal Court Music.
The promotion of the values of Hue relics has contributed to increasing the number of tourists to the complex, with a tourism revenues of 817 billion VND since 1998.