The truth about the "discovery" of the map at the Khâm Thiên Giám historical site of the Nguyễn Dynasty.

VHO - Leaders of the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center have provided information about the "discovery" of a map drawing on the wall of the Nguyen Dynasty's Khâm Thiên Giám historical site, which is attracting much attention.

The Khâm Thiên Giám historical site is in serious disrepair.

On the afternoon of January 24th, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center, announced that the scientific dossier on the Khâm Thiên Giám relic site has been submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for classification as a National Relic. This will serve as the basis for the center to develop a plan for the conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of this relic.

This contributes to improving the landscape around the historical sites in the Luc Bo area next to the Hue Imperial Citadel and preserving and promoting the value of the Nguyen Dynasty relics.

Recently, news of the discovery of map drawings on the walls inside the Khâm Thiên Giám historical site has caused a stir in public opinion.

In discussing this matter, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung affirmed that the aforementioned map drawing was not recently discovered; the center had accessed this image previously. These images are included in the records of the Kham Thien Giam historical site.

The map images on the walls at the Khâm Thiên Giám relic site of the Nguyễn Dynasty were recorded by the Hue Imperial Citadel Relics Conservation Center beforehand, and were not recently discovered.

The Nguyen Dynasty's Imperial Observatory (located on Han Thuyen Street, Phu Xuan Ward, Hue City) is in serious disrepair due to natural disasters and various other factors. In particular, the building itself is at risk of collapsing at any moment.

The Imperial Observatory of the Nguyen Dynasty was established during the reign of Emperor Gia Long. It was an agency responsible for astronomical observation, weather forecasting, calendar making, and feng shui consultation for the court.

During the reign of Minh Mạng, the Imperial Observatory operated in a more organized manner, and the court ordered the construction of the Observatory (in the southwest corner of the Hue Citadel) to observe astronomy, meteorology, and weather.

Astronomical instruments used for weather forecasting and stargazing are still preserved inside the Imperial Observatory of the Nguyen Dynasty.

In 1918, King Khai Dinh ordered the relocation of the Imperial Observatory to its current location, and it has been there for nearly 110 years. Since the 1960s, a few families have moved inside the Imperial Observatory to live.

The population gradually increased afterward, and these structures were also repurposed and altered. Many new residential buildings were also constructed in the Khâm Thiên Giám historical site and its protected area.

Implementing the project "Relocation of residents and land clearance in Zone 1 of the Hue Imperial Citadel relic site," Hue City has approved the land clearance at the Kham Thien Giam relic site, covering over 15,100 m2, and the relocation of households.

Entrance to the Khâm Thiên Giám historical site, Hàn Thuyên Street, Phú Xuân Ward, Huế City.

Currently, to ensure the safety of this historical site, the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center has implemented measures to cover and support the structure and protect the deteriorating roof system. The unit has also developed a restoration plan, which is expected to be submitted to the Hue City People's Committee for implementation in the 2026-2030 period.

Although the structures at the Imperial Observatory have been damaged and altered, many traces remain. These include astronomical, geographical, and spatial observation maps that directly served the activities of the Imperial Observatory during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/su-that-ve-viec-phat-lo-ban-dia-do-o-di-tich-kham-thien-giam-trieu-nguyen-199948.html