Historic city to renovate iconic gate
THUA THIEN-HUE (VNS)— A three-year project to preserve and renovate Ngo Mon (Noon Gate), an iconic symbol of the city of Hue, began last Thursday.
Noon Gate is an important part of the Hue Imperial Citadel, which was officially recognised by UNESCO as World’s Heritage Site in 1993.
It is a huge U-shaped construction consisting of a brick and stone foundation and a wooden pavilion with a terracotta-tiled roof.
Preservation of the gate will help it absorb water and prevent leakage at the foundation. The Lau Ngu Phung (Pavilion of Five Phoenixes) at the top will be removed and renovated.
The first stage of the project will cost VND43.38 billion (US$2.1 million) and is scheduled to be completed in December 2015, said Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Hue Centre for Monument Conservation.
The second stage will be carried out after 2015. — VNS