The construction of the Bien Hoa Citadel Square has begun.

The Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square is expected to create a community space that serves the needs of the people while contributing to the preservation and promotion of the value of this historical site.

The row of two-story buildings in front of Bien Hoa Citadel is proposed to be demolished to widen the facade and increase access to Phan Chu Trinh street. Photo: P. Tung

According to the proposed plan, Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square will be an open space, directly connected to the Dong Nai River landscape axis passing through Bien Hoa city.

Increase people's access to historical sites.

Bien Hoa Citadel is considered the second largest military architectural structure in Southern Vietnam, after Gia Dinh Citadel, and the only ancient citadel in Southern Vietnam that still exists today. It is a national historical monument and was restored in 2014.

Currently, the Bien Hoa Citadel site covers an area of ​​approximately 1 hectare, strategically located on the main Phan Chu Trinh road, directly opposite the Dong Nai River.

According to Nguyen Thi Vinh An, Head of the Urban Planning and Development Management Department of the Department of Construction, in September 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued a notice requesting the Department of Construction to take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments, agencies, Bien Hoa City, and other related units to discuss and review in order to agree on solutions and a roadmap to ensure the feasibility and compliance with relevant regulations in forming the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square, and to advise and propose to the Provincial People's Committee.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha agreed to assign the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to take the lead in renovating and establishing the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square. "Relevant units must immediately begin work," Vice Chairman Ho Van Ha requested. According to Vice Chairman Ho Van Ha, renovating and establishing the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square as a community space for the people is excellent. First and foremost, tasks that can be done immediately and at the lowest cost should be undertaken immediately.

Based on that, the Department of Construction sent a document to relevant units to solicit opinions on the plan to establish the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square. After synthesizing the opinions of these units, regarding the plan to renovate and establish the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square, the Department of Construction submitted a document to the Provincial People's Committee recommending the following: approving the necessary principle of renovating and establishing the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square, improving the landscape, redesigning the grounds, and assigning the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to lead and coordinate with the Department of Construction and Bien Hoa City to implement it; and approving the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Bien Hoa City to demolish the two-story building in front of the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel and relocate the assets of Quang Vinh Cooperative.

According to Ms. An, the plan to establish the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square will essentially follow the plan that the Department of Construction has reported to the Provincial People's Committee. Accordingly, it will absolutely preserve and not interfere with the four original relics of the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel, which have been recognized as a national historical site. At the same time, to expand the front facade of the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel area and access Phan Chu Trinh Street, the proposed plan is to demolish the row of two-story buildings in front of the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel. This will create a straight connecting axis to the Dong Nai River, enhancing the landscape and providing a view from the Dong Nai River towards the city.

For the area within the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel grounds, the proposed plan involves reorganizing the landscape by redesigning the park, establishing parking lots and playgrounds, planting trees, erecting flagpoles, and installing a lighting system… “This plan aims to create a community living space, an open space, and facilitate convenient access to the historical site for the public,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Vinh An.

Implement immediately.

In early December 2024, the Urban Management Department of Bien Hoa City (now the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Department of Bien Hoa City) sent a document to the Bien Hoa City People's Committee providing feedback on the plan to establish a square in the Bien Hoa Citadel area. The department agreed with the proposal from the Department of Construction regarding the establishment of a square in the Bien Hoa Citadel area.

The proposed landscape redesign of the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel area includes redesigning the park, establishing parking lots and playgrounds, planting trees, installing flagpoles, and installing a lighting system to serve the public.

Specifically, the demolition of structures along Phan Chu Trinh Street, reinforced concrete fences, and other structures unrelated to the Citadel of Bien Hoa will be carried out to create a square, green park, and parking lot, in conjunction with the two historical structures of Bien Hoa Citadel.

According to Nguyen Duy Tan, Vice Chairman of the Bien Hoa City People's Committee, implementing this plan, Bien Hoa City has completed the demolition of the area in front of Bien Hoa Citadel that had been encroached upon and used as a construction material sales point; and has renovated this area into a flower garden in front of Bien Hoa Citadel. Bien Hoa City is currently carrying out procedures to relocate the assets of Quang Vinh Cooperative.

Regarding the roadmap for establishing the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel Square, Mr. Nguyen Duy Tan suggested that, in the short term, immediate action could be taken to renovate the area inside the Bien Hoa Ancient Citadel, creating walkways, installing equipment for people to exercise and play sports, arranging stone benches, and installing decorative lighting... to serve the needs of the people.

Recently, at a meeting to hear reports from various units on the implementation of public area renovations in Bien Hoa City, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha stated that Bien Hoa City is severely lacking in community spaces for its residents. Meanwhile, the Bien Hoa Citadel area could be renovated and transformed into a public square, establishing a community space to serve urban residents and contributing to the development of this area as a highlight of Bien Hoa City.

Pham Tung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202505/khoi-dong-thiet-lap-quang-truong-thanh-co-bien-hoa-3730904/