What will become of the old French villa at 26 Le Loi Street, Hue?

Having been invited to survey and plan the relocation of the old French villa on the banks of the Perfume River since 2022, the fact that the project has yet to be implemented leaves "miracle worker" Nguyen Van Cu still deeply concerned.

The old French villa at 26 Le Loi Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City - Photo: NHAT LINH

The old French villa at 26 Le Loi Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City, was once hoped to remain undemolished amidst the gradual disappearance of many French architectural structures in Hue over time.

The option of inviting "master mover" Nguyen Van Cu – who has previously moved many massive structures – to Hue to relocate the villa to another location has been considered. This aims to preserve the integrity of this rare ancient structure remaining on one of Hue's most beautiful streets.

However, after three years, the relocation of this structure has still not been carried out. Why?

After 3 years, nothing has changed.

In 2022, the People's Committee of the former Thua Thien Hue province intended to invite "master mover" Nguyen Van Cu from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue to relocate the old French villa on the banks of the Perfume River, freeing up the prime land there for tourism development.

This villa used to be the headquarters of the Thua Thien Hue Union of Literature and Arts Associations, and it once caused a stir in Hue public opinion because it was not included in the list of 27 typical French architectural works compiled by the former Thua Thien Hue Provincial Department of Construction.

Many people believe that the villa's exclusion from the aforementioned list of French architectural works is to facilitate its demolition.

By 2022, the leaders of the former Thua Thien Hue province stated that they would not demolish the aforementioned villa but would instead plan to relocate it to another location while preserving the building's current state.

"The Genie" Nguyen Van Cu - who previously relocated the main hall of Dieu De Pagoda and many other massive structures - was invited to come and devise a relocation plan.

For the past three years, the old villa along the Perfume River has not been relocated and has fallen into a state of disrepair and decay - Photo: NHAT LINH

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However, more than three years have passed, and the villa remains in the same location, locked and silent. Outside, many sections of the walls are peeling and dilapidated, with some brick pillars broken and damaged by time. The villa's grounds are abandoned, garbage piled up, and used as a parking area for street vendors.

Standing outside the villa's gate, Mr. Phan Phu (a tourist) expressed his regret at witnessing the deterioration of this century-old villa.

"It would be wonderful if this were a museum showcasing Hue's tourism products or traditional crafts so that tourists could visit and take pictures," Mr. Phu said.

Severe deterioration

Referring to the villa at 26 Le Loi Street, "miracle worker" Nguyen Van Cu said that it has always been a source of deep concern for him. As a native of Hue, Mr. Cu said he very much wants to contribute to preserving the heritage of the ancient capital.

Inside the villa, many walls are peeling, dilapidated, and used as a parking area for street vendors - Photo: NHAT LINH

In 2022, after being invited to survey the relocation of the villa to Pham Hong Thai Street nearby, Mr. Cu asserted that he could move the villa to the new location while ensuring the safety of the structure.

"I had drawn up a detailed 14-step relocation plan, with an implementation time of about 4 months and a total cost of about 2.5 billion VND. However, after that meeting, for the past 3 years I have not received any contact regarding the relocation from the Hue City government," Mr. Cu said.

Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Vice Chairman of the Hue City People's Committee, said that according to assessments by specialized agencies, the aforementioned ancient villa is seriously dilapidated, and many parts are no longer strong enough to withstand the load if it is relocated.

A section of brick wall on the staircase leading up to the villa has cracked and deteriorated due to time, rain, and sun exposure - Photo: NHAT LINH

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Specifically, the Construction Quality Inspection Center under the Hue City Department of Construction had previously issued a report determining that the villa's structure was dilapidated, with a mixture of brick, stone, steel, and reinforced concrete, and that relocating the structure would be ineffective in terms of structural safety.

According to Mr. Giang, another option being considered by the city is to keep the villa in its original location.

The reason is that an investor wants to build a 5-star hotel and service complex at this location, and they have requested to keep the villa within the hotel grounds as a unique architectural, cultural, and landscape asset.

"To ensure the safety of the structure, we are also reviewing and reassessing it in order to come up with the best solution," Mr. Giang said.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ngoi-biet-thu-phap-co-o-26-le-loi-hue-se-ra-sao-20251129144222782.htm