Tourism to Thang Long Royal Citadel to open in mid-September

Head of the Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, has said that in middle of this September 2010, the Thang Long Royal Citadel will open to tourism. At present, the citadel is still closed for preservation and conservation, Tienphong newspaper reported.
Speaking with the newspaper after the Thang Long Royal Citadel was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, Mr. Hung said that at present, the citadel management board is working with the Vietnam Academy of Archaeology to repair and preserve paths in the citadel, in order to make the citadel open before the capital’s celebration of 1,000 years.
The Thang Long Royal Citadel was opened earlier, but it is now temporarily closed to focus on study and preservation of artifacts.
Regarding UNESCO’s proposals on the continued excavation, he said that in the year of the 1,000th birthday of the capital, it is not suitable to excavate, and that the exaction may continue in 2011.
The central part of the Thang Long Royal Citadel has an area of 18,395 square meters, including the Hanoi ancient citadel and the archaeological relics at No. 18 Hoang Dieu. Professor Phan Huy Le compares it to “a living historical collection” covering all the history of Thang Long – Hanoi with many precious architectural features and artifacts from the 7th century, according to Tienphong newspaper.