On the occasion, the People’sCommittees of Thua Thien – Hue and Da Nang signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) on preserving and upholding historical and architectural values of HaiVan Gate.
The two localities’ culture andsports departments were asked to devise detailed plans to effectively carry outthe MoU.
Located 490m above sea level, HaiVan Gate sits atop its namesake mountain pass and holds profound historical,architectural and artistic value, connecting Da Nang’s Lien Chieu district withThua Thien-Hue’s Lang Co township, Phu Loc district.
The Hai Van Pass runs some 21kmon the Bach Ma Range, which juts into the East Sea in central Vietnam.
The relic complex was built in1826 under the rule of the Nguyen dynasty’s King Minh Mang (1791-1841), whoordered the construction of multiple defensive structures on Hai Van Pass toprotect the then imperial capital of Vietnam in Hue. The structures includedfortifications, store houses and cannon forts.
According to historical records,after building the complex, King Minh Mang inscribed its name in Vietnamese -“Hai Van Quan” (Hai Van Gate) - on one side of the gate facing Hue ImperialCitadel, and the words “Thien ha de nhat hung quan” (the world’s most marvelouswonder) on the other side facing Da Nang.
The gate had been left in seriousdisrepair as neither Da Nang nor Thua Thien-Hue took responsibility formaintenance.
It has grown to become a popularattraction among tourists as it offers stunning views of the surrounding waterbodies and landscape.-VNA