The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dong Nai province has just issued a document directing the Dong Nai Museum to urgently renovate the Bien Hoa Citadel relic area, aiming to turn this place into the Citadel square.
Accordingly, Dong Nai Museum was assigned to coordinate with relevant units to liquidate and dismantle the 2-storey building located in front of the relic. This move aims to ensure ventilation, expand the relic space, and at the same time advise on a plan to renovate the entire Bien Hoa Citadel into a square.
Bien Hoa Citadel, originally named "Cuu Thanh", was built of earth in the 15th year of Gia Long (1816). The citadel has a circumference of 388 truong (equivalent to 2,587m), is 8 thuoc 5 tac high, 1 truong thick, has a moat 4 truong (26.6m) wide, with 4 gates and a flagpole.
In the 18th year of Minh Mang (1837), the Old Citadel was rebuilt with laterite and renamed Bien Hoa. After many historical events and wars, the Bien Hoa ancient citadel now only has about 1 hectare, with three sections of walls, a watchtower and two ancient French villas.
In the early 20th century, the French used Bien Hoa Citadel as a place to house guards and detain prisoners. Many items from the French period are still preserved and displayed for visitors.
In 2013, this structure was recognized as a National Historical Relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism . After that, the villas were restored and painted to serve as exhibitions and welcome guests.
Two ancient French villas in the citadel, built in the early 20th century, were once the residence of the French and also served as a detention and interrogation facility for patriots. Other rooms were used for various functions such as medical care, sleeping, and meetings.
Currently, many French living and working items such as clocks, oil lamps, typewriters, televisions, and electric lights are still displayed inside ancient villas, providing a realistic look at a historical period.
Faced with the fact that few people visit, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has proposed that the People's Committee of Dong Nai province convert Bien Hoa Citadel into an open square to serve the sightseeing and entertainment needs of local people and tourists.
A section of the ancient wall still exists today. Due to deterioration over time, this stone wall section was upgraded and replaced by the managing unit in 2014.
A watchtower from the French period still stands today. Over time, many items and structures of Bien Hoa Citadel have been damaged, degraded and have been repaired and replaced many times by the governing body to preserve them.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dong Nai province emphasized that the renovation of Bien Hoa Citadel into a square must strictly comply with the legal regulations on cultural heritage. Absolutely no intervention or direct impact on the original items of the relic. Instead, the focus will be on redesigning the campus to create a space for community activities, organize photo exhibitions, serve visitors and educate about traditions.
Bien Hoa Citadel Square is expected to become a multi-purpose space, both meeting the entertainment needs of the people and contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of the historical and cultural values of this national relic.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/can-canh-thanh-co-ben-song-dong-nai-sap-duoc-chinh-trang-lam-quang-truong-20250602162046497.htm
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