Located about 20km from the center of Hanoi, Co Loa Citadel relic site, Co Loa commune, Dong Anh district (Hanoi) is a tourist destination chosen by many tourists as a destination. This place has long been a tourist destination with rich historical and literary values associated with many legends of the Vietnamese people.
Co Loa was once the capital of the Au Lac state during the An Duong Vuong period (3rd century BC) and of Dai Viet during the Ngo Quyen period (10th century). The Co Loa citadel relic is considered by archaeologists to be "the oldest citadel, one of the largest in scale, and the most unique in the history of citadel construction by the ancient Vietnamese". Currently, Co Loa citadel includes unique works and architecture such as: An Duong Vuong temple, Ngu Trieu communal house, My Chau shrine, Ngoc well, Cao Lo general statue...
The Co Loa historical site is about 500 hectares wide. Legend has it that the citadel consists of 9 spiral circles, so the ancient people also called it the Snail Citadel. Under the outer citadel is a deep, flooded moat that only boats can pass through. Due to the ravages of time and war, the citadel now only has three circles with ancient vestiges, which are the inner citadel, the middle citadel, and the outer citadel.
The outer citadel has a perimeter of about 8km, built by the method of digging the ground to where the trench is, building the wall, building adjacent ramparts. The ancient ramparts are 4-5m high, especially in some places from 8-12m high. The middle citadel has a perimeter of about 6.5km, also has the same structure as the outer citadel but is narrower and more solid. The inner citadel has an area of about 2km2, is the residence of King An Duong Vuong.
An Duong Vuong Temple, also known as Thuong Temple, is located in the center of the citadel. The temple is located on a dragon-shaped mound, with two forests on both sides and two round holes below, which are the dragon's eyes. Right in front of Thuong Temple is a large lake, inside is Ngoc Well - the place where Trong Thuy committed suicide in the legend. Ngoc Well stands out among the clear blue lake water and cool trees.
Located right behind a thousand-year-old banyan tree that casts shade over a large yard, the banyan tree splits in two to form an archway leading to the Lady's Shrine. There is a statue called My Chau statue - a natural rock in the shape of a headless person, so the villagers call it My Chau's tomb.
Co Loa Citadel is home to many valuable antiquities that are hundreds of years old. Archaeologists have excavated many ancient tombs, bronze axes, bronze drums, tens of thousands of three-sided bronze arrowheads and arrowhead molds. All are preserved here for visitors to freely visit and admire.
The first time visiting Co Loa Citadel, Nguyen Minh Van, 21 years old (Long Bien, Hanoi), a student at FPT University shared: "Entering the citadel gate, I felt like I was going back in time with the legends of "Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong deciding to build the citadel", "The Golden Turtle Crossbow", or the story of My Chau - Trong Thuy... Leaving the citadel gate, I was amazed by a rich, civilized countryside, but still retaining its ancient features and rich identity".
Unlike the feelings of first-time visitors to Co Loa Citadel, Pham Thi Phuong Thao, 27 years old (Dong Anh, Hanoi ) said that although she had been there many times, she still found it interesting and each time was a different experience, thereby increasing her knowledge of historical and cultural relics, thereby becoming more aware of participating in protecting historical and cultural relics where she lives.
With its profound cultural and historical values and significance, in 1962, the Co Loa relic was ranked by the State as a national historical and cultural relic. In 2012, the Co Loa relic was ranked by the Prime Minister as a special national relic.
Every year on the 6th day of the first lunar month, the people of Co Loa hold a solemn festival to commemorate those who contributed to building the citadel, especially to show gratitude to An Duong Vuong, the founder of the feudal state of Au Lac.
Not only is it a historical relic that has witnessed our country change and develop day by day, Co Loa citadel is also a symbol for the entire Vietnamese people with good traditional values.
According to qdnd.vn
Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/du-lich/kham-pha-di-tich-thanh-co-loa-139539.html
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