Preserving and Promoting Hoa Lu Heritage Values

With systematic and synchronous investment, research and conservation, Ninh Binh province has gradually turned the heritage values of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital into attractive tourism products and helped preserve national identity and create important endogenous resources for building and developing culture, people and economy - society.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital is a special national historical and cultural relic complex

Known as a legendary land, Ninh Binh is not only endowed with majestic and unique natural landscapes, but also historical and cultural relics and distinctive religious architectural works. Particularly, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital is a special national historical and cultural relic complex. Hoa Lu was the first capital of Dai Co Viet, the first centralized feudal state and the place where Dinh, Early Le and Ly dynasties started their monarchies.

The Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Historical and Cultural Relic Complex was ranked as a national relic in the first time of certification by the Ministry of Culture in 1962 and as a special national relic by the Prime Minister in 2012. Existing historical and cultural vestiges are very rich and diverse, including the worshiping architecture system, citadel walls and caves. In addition, the relic site also preserves unique intangible cultural heritage values, typically Hoa Lu Festival - the largest traditional festival in the province, which takes place from the 9th and 11th days of the third lunar month every year. The festival was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014.

Currently, most of the main items in the relic site have been restored and embellished, with the infrastructure system upgraded, to protect its sustainability and promote relic values for tourism development. Communication, introduction and education of historical and cultural traditions in the relic complex have been sped up. The Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Historical and Cultural Relics Conservation Center launched a four-language automatic interpretation system using QR scanning to serve a large number of tourists. In recent years, domestic and international tourist arrivals to the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Historical and Cultural Relic Complex increased significantly, thus supporting local tourism development and socioeconomic development.

Mr. Giang Bach Dang, Director of the center, said: Carrying out the “Preserving and promoting historical and cultural values and fine traditions of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital in 2021 - 2030” Project, the center will continue to promote great relic values and raise awareness and responsibility of safeguarding the relic site and building a healthy cultural environment in the community. It will work out plans to investigate, survey and evaluate the current status and the legacy of the Hoa Lu cultural heritage system in a comprehensive and comprehensive manner to provide a foundation for building the database, applying digital technology to the heritage system and conduct in-depth research investment.

In addition, the center will improve service quality and especially upgrade professional qualifications, expertise and communication skills of tour guides. This will help build Hoa Lu Ancient Capital into an existing museum of the past capital, uphold relic values into an attractive historical, cultural and spiritual tourist destination of national and regional significance.

Phuong Hien (Vietnam Business Forum)