Discover the heritage of Ho Dynasty Citadel.

Through field trips to the Ho Dynasty Citadel World Heritage site, young people, especially students, gain a clearer understanding of the stories, artifacts, historical evidence, and creative innovations of their ancestors, thereby understanding and appreciating the nation's history.

Ho Citadel, located in Vinh Tien and Vinh Long communes, Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa province, is considered a unique and unparalleled stone architectural masterpiece in Vietnam. The citadel was built by Ho Quy Ly in 1397 when he moved the capital from Thang Long to Tay Do. Over 600 years, many structures within the citadel have been destroyed. In 2011, Ho Citadel was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Photo: Dinh Minh

The students of class 12A7, Vinh Loc High School, had a field trip to experience the heritage of Ho Dynasty Citadel. Their first stop was the outdoor exhibition space showcasing artifacts. Photo: Dinh Minh

Currently, this site contains many stone artifacts found during excavations. These are mainly foundation stones of varying sizes, featuring lotus flower and petal motifs. Photo: Dinh Minh

Some artifacts are engraved with images of winding dragons – symbols of royalty and representing the power of the dynasty. Photo: Dinh Minh

In addition, architectural traces within the citadel are also evident in ancient materials such as roof tiles with carved Bodhi leaf motifs depicting two dragons; phoenix heads, mandarin ducks, etc. Photo: Dinh Minh

Next, the group visited the reconstructed area, featuring replicas of cannons associated with the name of Ho Nguyen Truong (son of Ho Quy Ly). Photo: Dinh Minh

Here, the tour guide explained to the group how to use cannons and the process of the Ho Dynasty army's resistance against the Ming invasion. Photo: Dinh Minh

At the request of the students, the group stopped to visit the ramparts of the citadel, where large, finely carved, square-shaped blue stones were stacked tightly together without the use of any binding materials. Photo: Dinh Minh

To date, after numerous excavations and surveys, scientists have still been unable to definitively prove how ancient workers were able to lift massive stone blocks weighing tens of tons to such heights. Photo: Dinh Minh

Deep inside the Citadel, the students were told the story of the two stone dragons discovered in 1938 by their tour guide. Photo: Dinh Minh

Visiting the temple of Lady Binh Khuong, tourists and young people can hear the legend of "Lady Binh Khuong banging her head against a stone slab until she died to plead for justice for her husband, who was buried alive by the king when the city wall collapsed." Photo: Dinh Minh

Inside the temple, young people and locals clasped their hands in prayer, wishing for good things for themselves and their families. Photo: Dinh Minh

The next stop for the group was the ancient house of Mr. Pham Ngoc Tung (71 years old, residing in Vinh Tien commune, Vinh Loc district), built in 1810. This structure is located 200 meters from the West Gate of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ho Dynasty Citadel. Photo: Dinh Minh

Here, the tour guide explained that the house has been passed down through seven generations. Its origins trace back to Mr. Bat, a high-ranking official during the Nguyen Dynasty, who started its construction in 1810. It was completed in seven months by the most skilled craftsmen from the Nam Ha region (present-day Ha Nam province) and Dat Tay village (present-day Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province ). Photo: Dinh Minh

The final stop for the group was the exhibition area showcasing artifacts dating back over 600 years at Ho Dynasty Citadel. The "collection" of artifacts includes items such as: stone dragon heads, roof tiles, bricks used to build the citadel, stone spheres, stone projectiles, ceramic cups and plates, earthenware materials, etc. Photo: Dinh Minh

Nguyen Thi Thuy (Class 12A7, Vinh Loc High School) said she was very impressed with the artifacts, relics, and stories about the Ho Dynasty citadel heritage. Thuy believes that such a comprehensive and firsthand visit would be much more helpful for students than just relying on textbook information. Photo: Dinh Minh

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/anh-kham-pha-di-san-thanh-nha-ho-10266437.html