THỪA THIÊN HUẾ – Thái Hòa Palace (the Palace of Supreme Harmony), part of the Complex of Huế Monuments, a UNESCO-recognised world cultural heritage in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế, will be opened to tourists on November 23, months earlier than scheduled, according to Director of the Huế Monuments Conservation Centre Hoàng Việt Trung.

With a history of more than 200 years, Thái Hòa Palace is the most important palace in the Huế Imperial Citadel. This is also the coronation place of all the 13 kings of the Nguyễn Dynasty, from Gia Long to Bảo Đại.

The construction of Thái Hòa Palace was started by King Gia Long in February 1805 and completed in October of the same year.

This palace was the venue to organise important ceremonies such as the coronation ceremony (ascension to the throne), the Vạn Thọ ceremony (the king's birthday), the Tứ Tuần or Ngũ Tuần Đại Khánh Tiết ceremony (to celebrate the Emperor’s longevity), and the Hưng quốc Khánh niệm ceremony (the National Day).

It was also a place to welcome envoys of other countries and carry out diplomatic etiquette.

It was recognised by UNESCO as a world documentary heritage in 2021. The same year, the Government allocated a budget of nearly VNĐ129 billion (US$5.12 million) to urgently restore this building.

According to Trung, the palace opening is expected to create a highlight for the Complex of Huế Monuments, contributing to luring more visitors to the site.

Currently, the Huế Monuments Conservation Centre is selling about 10,000 tickets a day to visitors to relic sites in the complex.

He revealed that later this year, the centre will launch a project to restore and upgrade Cần Chánh Palace located behind Thái Hòa Palace in the Huế Imperial City. VNA/VNS