Ho Citadel World Heritage Site.
Upon arriving in the Tây Đô region, we were captivated by the Hồ Dynasty Citadel, a World Heritage site – a magnificent and unique stone citadel in Vietnam. The citadel was built in 1397 by order of Hồ Quý Ly, taking approximately three months to construct (from January to March 1397). That same year, Hồ Quý Ly moved the capital from Thăng Long (Hanoi) to Tây Đô (Thanh Hóa). As the capital of the Đại Việt state at the end of the Trần and beginning of the Hồ dynasties, the Hồ Dynasty Citadel was built based on fundamental principles of topography and feng shui, with rivers and mountains surrounding it. Located at the border of the plains and mountains, the citadel boasts beautiful scenery, harmonious rivers and mountains, and diverse terrain, creating a significant military advantage. During its construction, approximately 20,000 cubic meters of stone and nearly 100,000 cubic meters of earth were used. The sheer volume of work involved in its construction, completed in just three months, is what makes Ho Citadel so attractive to tourists who want to explore and experience it. With its historical, architectural, military, and archaeological value, UNESCO recognized Ho Citadel as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2011.
Recently, thanks to the attention of the State, Ho Citadel has been restored and renovated with many items, such as: repairing and reinforcing the city walls; repairing the walking paths around the citadel; constructing signposts; and building auxiliary facilities... contributing to creating a beautiful landscape that attracts a large number of tourists to visit and experience. In the first nine months of 2025, Ho Citadel welcomed nearly 240,000 visitors, including about 8,000 international tourists.
Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Director of the Ho Dynasty Citadel Heritage Center, said: On August 28, 2025, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee approved the project to preserve, restore, and renovate several structures within the inner citadel area of the Ho Dynasty Citadel World Cultural Heritage site with a total investment of over 354 billion VND, divided into two phases. Phase 1, from 2025-2027, will focus on restoring and renovating the southern moat; the Royal Road; and repairing and waterproofing the southern gate... Phase 2, from 2027-2028, will focus on restoring and renovating the East Thai Mieu Temple; renovating the West Thai Mieu Temple, the Nam Thanh Bridge... The completed project will significantly contribute to promoting the value of the Ho Dynasty Citadel World Cultural Heritage site, serving tourism and socio- economic development; and gradually transforming the heritage site into a key national and regional tourist destination.
Leaving the Ho Dynasty Citadel, our next stop was the Linh Giang Pagoda, an architectural, cultural, and artistic relic located in Phu Linh village. Here, visitors can not only find peace of mind but also immerse themselves in the serene beauty of the long sandy beaches and admire the gentle flow of the Ma River during the dry season and its powerful flow during the flood season. Currently, there are no specific documents determining the exact construction date of the pagoda, but according to the elders of Phu Linh village (Tay Do commune), the pagoda dates back to the time when the Ho Dynasty built the Tay Do Citadel. Enchanted by the picturesque scenery of the river and mountains, the Ho Dynasty chose this place as a landing point for the king whenever he traveled by water to visit the Tay Do Citadel, enjoying the landscape, finding peace, and shedding the worries of court life.
Throughout history, Linh Giang Pagoda suffered serious damage and deterioration. In 1995, thanks to the attention of the State and the contributions of the people, Linh Giang Pagoda was restored and renovated, becoming a magnificent structure that attracts visitors to admire the scenery, pray for blessings, and seek peace. The values of Linh Giang Pagoda were recognized as a provincial-level architectural, cultural, and artistic heritage site by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in 2000.
From July 1st, 2025, Tay Do commune was established by merging the entire natural area and population of Vinh Quang, Vinh Yen, Vinh Tien, and Vinh Long communes. Following the merger, the cultural space has expanded, and cultural values have converged, making Tay Do commune a locality with many historical and cultural relics. Currently, Tay Do commune has 20 relics, including one recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site, one national historical relic, and 18 provincial-level historical, cultural, and architectural relics.
Proud of its homeland rich in historical and cultural traditions, Tay Do commune always pays attention to the management and protection of historical relics against damage. It strengthens the dissemination, introduction, and promotion of historical and cultural relics and tourist destinations in the commune to a wide range of visitors through mass media. It mobilizes all resources to restore and preserve relics in order to promote the values of historical and cultural relics in conjunction with the development of spiritual tourism.
Mr. Cao Van Tien, a resident of Hac Thanh ward and a visitor who has been to Tay Do commune, shared: "Tay Do commune boasts majestic natural scenery, with rivers, mountains, and a system of cultural relics, and its people are hospitable. Coming here, I can enjoy the peacefulness of the prosperous countryside, which makes my soul feel relaxed and comfortable. Tay Do is truly a place worth experiencing and exploring. If I have the opportunity, I will definitely return to this land many more times."
Linh Giang Pagoda is a well-built structure that meets the spiritual needs of the people.
Through our on-site investigation, we learned that many historical sites in Tay Do commune are deteriorating, most notably the Don Temple historical and cultural site. Currently, the site is severely damaged and needs restoration. Mobilizing social resources for the repair and restoration of these sites in the commune is also facing many difficulties. The number of visitors to these sites is not commensurate with their potential and advantages. The professional skills of the officials and members of the site management boards are still limited... making the preservation and promotion of the historical values in Tay Do commune very challenging.
In an interview with us, Mr. Do Van Nam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Do Commune, said: Currently, the commune is focusing on developing the strengths of the Ho Dynasty Citadel World Cultural Heritage site, in conjunction with doing a good job of planning, restoring and preserving historical relics in the area. Attention is being paid to organizing cultural and folk art events to promote potential and advantages; creating connections between tours and routes, developing diverse products to serve tourists. Attracting capable and experienced businesses to invest in and develop eco-tourism and experiential tourism at Tan Lap Lake, Quan Nhan Lake, An Ton Lake, etc. Good planning and construction of service facilities, strict management of various types of services; building a safe and civilized tourism environment to attract tourists to visit and experience. Promoting the application of science and technology in the management, preservation and promotion of the value of historical relics to bring the content of heritage promotion to technological platforms. Through this, we aim to build a tourism brand for the Tay Do region based on its cultural and historical values, creating sustainable livelihoods for people living around the historical sites.
Text and photos: Nguyen Anh
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tay-do-vung-dat-di-san-265938.htm
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