The building designated for artist Le Ba Dang (Photo: VNA) Thua Thien-Hue (VNS/VNA) - Researchers in the former imperial capitalcity of Hue have voiced their concerns over the new list of 27 prominent’Indochinese colonial-style’ architectural buildings in the city.
According to them, the list includes buildings that are notmade in the colonial style while it excludes several buildings built during theFrench colonial period in the city. The researchers have demanded theelimination of those buildings from the list that have not maintained theirstatus quo due to recent conservation work.
Phu Cam Cathedral, which is included in the list, is said tohave a contemporary architectural style. “The cathedral was originally built inthe colonial style, but it was knocked down in 1960 to be constructed into anew building, which was completed in 2000. Hence, it cannot be a colonialbuilding,” said researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa, former director of the localDepartment of Culture.
He added that the Morin Hotel and Memorial Pavilion for WorldWar Martyrs should also be removed from the list due to changes in theirstructures and colours.
The original Morin Hotel was built in 1901 with two floors,but later in the 2000s, it was upgraded to four storeys. The Memorial Pavilionwas built in 1920, with the inscription bearing the names of 78 Vietnamese and31 French who had died during World War I. However, conservation work in 2017destroyed all the inscriptions and changed the colour as well as manyarchitectural patterns on the memorial.
Researcher Tran Dinh Hang, Director of the Vietnam Institutefor Culture and Arts Studies in Hue, agreed with Hoa and said the MemorialPavilion should not be included in the list as it had been changed.
Hoa, meanwhile, questioned why a 100-year-old typicalcolonial building, located on Le Loi Street, was not included in the list. Thisbuilding serves as the office of the local Association of Culture and Art. “Itis a typical, beautiful building and was the landmark of cultural historicalevents in Hue,” Hoa said.
The building is listed as one of the targets to be demolishedto acquire land for a hotel.
Hang expressed his reservations about the list prepared bythe provincial People’s Committee, which said the list was to enhance theconservation of the colonial buildings in the city. Hang said several colonial buildings that were not includedin the list were targeted for demolition.
Earlier this month, the provincial People’s Committee hadannounced a list of 27 prominent Indochinese colonial-style buildings, sayingthat these buildings will be protected from land revamp for business structures.
Buildings in the list include those built by Frenchcolonialists, such as the railway station, Quoc Học School where President Ho Chi Minh used to study, it’s neighbour Hai Ba Trung School and the twinbuildings that serve as offices of the Hue Museum of Culture.
Hang said the committee’s efforts to recognise the colonialbuildings came late as tens of typical colonial buildings on the streets of Le Loi, Hoang Hoa Tham and Ly Thuong Kiet had already been knocked down toconstruct new buildings.
According to a study of the Central Region Institute forConstructional Science and Technology, there are some 200 colonial buildingslocated around Hue. Colonial buildings are part of the architectural history ofthe city, but few have maintained their original architecture due to changes inthe trends of construction.-VNS/VNA
According to them, the list includes buildings that are notmade in the colonial style while it excludes several buildings built during theFrench colonial period in the city. The researchers have demanded theelimination of those buildings from the list that have not maintained theirstatus quo due to recent conservation work.
Phu Cam Cathedral, which is included in the list, is said tohave a contemporary architectural style. “The cathedral was originally built inthe colonial style, but it was knocked down in 1960 to be constructed into anew building, which was completed in 2000. Hence, it cannot be a colonialbuilding,” said researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa, former director of the localDepartment of Culture.
He added that the Morin Hotel and Memorial Pavilion for WorldWar Martyrs should also be removed from the list due to changes in theirstructures and colours.
The original Morin Hotel was built in 1901 with two floors,but later in the 2000s, it was upgraded to four storeys. The Memorial Pavilionwas built in 1920, with the inscription bearing the names of 78 Vietnamese and31 French who had died during World War I. However, conservation work in 2017destroyed all the inscriptions and changed the colour as well as manyarchitectural patterns on the memorial.
Researcher Tran Dinh Hang, Director of the Vietnam Institutefor Culture and Arts Studies in Hue, agreed with Hoa and said the MemorialPavilion should not be included in the list as it had been changed.
Hoa, meanwhile, questioned why a 100-year-old typicalcolonial building, located on Le Loi Street, was not included in the list. Thisbuilding serves as the office of the local Association of Culture and Art. “Itis a typical, beautiful building and was the landmark of cultural historicalevents in Hue,” Hoa said.
The building is listed as one of the targets to be demolishedto acquire land for a hotel.
Hang expressed his reservations about the list prepared bythe provincial People’s Committee, which said the list was to enhance theconservation of the colonial buildings in the city. Hang said several colonial buildings that were not includedin the list were targeted for demolition.
Earlier this month, the provincial People’s Committee hadannounced a list of 27 prominent Indochinese colonial-style buildings, sayingthat these buildings will be protected from land revamp for business structures.
Buildings in the list include those built by Frenchcolonialists, such as the railway station, Quoc Học School where President Ho Chi Minh used to study, it’s neighbour Hai Ba Trung School and the twinbuildings that serve as offices of the Hue Museum of Culture.
Hang said the committee’s efforts to recognise the colonialbuildings came late as tens of typical colonial buildings on the streets of Le Loi, Hoang Hoa Tham and Ly Thuong Kiet had already been knocked down toconstruct new buildings.
According to a study of the Central Region Institute forConstructional Science and Technology, there are some 200 colonial buildingslocated around Hue. Colonial buildings are part of the architectural history ofthe city, but few have maintained their original architecture due to changes inthe trends of construction.-VNS/VNA
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