Bien Hoa Citadel, in the southern province of Dong Nai, with a history of hundreds of years has become seriously deteriorated.
The citadel, which has always been the pride of people in Dong Nai Province, is now left with only two buildings, two block houses and some sections of wall.
According to a book entitled “Bien Hoa Historical Summary,” by Luong Van Luu, Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel was built in 1816 under the king Gia Long. At that time, it was called Cuu Citadel which was made from soil.
In 1837, Cuu Citadel was rebuilt and named Bien Hoa. When the French occupied the southern region, Bien Hoa became a defensive stronghold for the Nguyen Dynasty. In December 1861, Bien Hoa Citadel fell into hands of the French.
Layers peeled off from walls
During the occupation, the army rebuilt the citadel and reduced its size. They also built camps and other buildings, including clinics.
Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel was also witness to the historical ups and downs of Bien Hoa City, first through wars against the French and then the Americans.
Nowadays, the citadel is surrounded by high-rise buildings. Only a few elements from the original citadel have remain, but even these are deteriorated, with moss-grown, cracked walls.
In 2008, Dong Nai Province decided to recoganise Bien Hoa Citadel as a provincial historical relic, and in 2013 the citadel was ranked as a national historic relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to Le Tri Dung, Director of the Relic Management Board o Dong Nai Province, in 2010 there was a plan drafted to restore Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel, which was approved with funds of VND25 billion (USD1.1 million). The money allocated was then raised to VND41 billion (USD1.95 million), but it is still awaiting approval from local authorities.
Citadel in state of deterioration