Hanoi (VNA) – The People’s Committees of Thua Thien – Hue provinceand Da Nang city have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on preservingthe Hai Van Quan (Hai Van Gate) national relic site.
Under the MoU, the two localities willco-sponsor a project on the preservation of the relic site, which lies betweenthe two central localities, with the investment contributed equally by the twosides.
The People’s Committee of Thua Thien-Hue willbe responsible for granting investment licence, approving the project’s contentand directing relevant units to implement the project during this year. Thework is expected to be completed in 2020.
Located 490m above sea level, Hai Van Gatesits atop its namesake mountain pass and connects Da Nang’s Lien Chieu districtwith Thua Thien-Hue’s Lang Co township, Phu Loc district.
The Hai Van Pass runs some 21km on the BachMa Range, which juts into the East Sea in central Vietnam.
The relic complex was built in 1826 underthe rule of the Nguyen dynasty’s King Minh Mang (1791-1841), who ordered theconstruction of multiple defensive structures on Hai Van Pass to protect thethen imperial capital of Vietnam in Hue. The structures includedfortifications, store houses and cannon forts.
According to historical records, afterbuilding the complex, King Minh Mang inscribed its name in Vietnamese - “HaiVan Quan” - on the side of the gate facing Hue Imperial Citadel, and the words“Thien ha de nhat hung quan” (the world’s most marvelous wonder) on the otherside facing Da Nang.
The gate was recognised as a national relicsite in April 2017.
It has grown to become a popular attractionamong tourists as it offers stunning views of the surrounding water bodies andlandscape. Last year, the relic site welcomed around 2 million tourists, 90percent of whom are foreigner.-VNA