The central province of Thua Thien - Hue will spend between VND 5-8 billion (USD223,000-USD356,000) annually to restore 3-5 traditional wooden garden houses from now until 2020.
The province's people's committee told DTiNews that each of the city’s iconic garden houses chosen for restoration would receive between VND 400 million (USD17,773) and VND 700 million (USD31,104) a year based on their size and value.
The local authorities will also offer loans to those people who want to fully restore their properties, with the authority prepared to cover the interest rate on discounted five-year loans of up to VND 500 million.
The province will also support garden home owners to buy seedlings, open tourism services, train tour guides, improve infrastructure and organise traditional cuisine and music events.
According to the Hue Relics Preservation Centre, Thua Thien-Hue is now home to 690 traditional wooden garden houses called Nha Ruong, most of which are located in the imperial city of Hue and Phuoc Tich Village. Each house includes a minimum 400 square-metre garden.
Blossoming under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the An Hien, Lac Tinh Vien, Tinh Gia Vien, Ty Ba Trang and Ngoc Son Cong Chua houses have been a prominent feature of Hue for hundreds of years.
However many of the houses have seriously deteriorated. Since the residents lack money to repair them and don't know when help will come from the state budget, they have often used unsuitable materials as a way of structurally reinforcing their homes.
