On the evening of November 12, 2022, the Township Committee, the People’s Council, the People’s Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Son Tay township solemnly celebrated the 200th anniversary of Son Tay Ancient Citadel (1822-2022) and introduced investment promotion and tourism development activities. These are major events in the 2022 Son Tay – Doai tourism year, which was held on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23), demonstrating sincere respect and deep gratitude to the predecessors who built the country in the process of sustainable development of the Vietnamese people by officials and the people of Son Tay township, which is a big local festival day.
The celebration was attended by the leaders of the central ministries and departments; Comrade Nguyen Thi Tuyen – Member of the Central Committee of the Party – Permanent Deputy Secretary of Hanoi City Committee; Ha Minh Hai – Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee; former leaders of the old Ha Tay Provincial Committee, Hanoi City Committee through the periods; leaders of districts of Hanoi and neighboring provinces.
On the side of Son Tay township, there are comrade Tran Anh Tuan – Member of the Party Committee – Secretary of the Township Committee, Nguyen Quang Han – Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Township Committee – Chairman of the Town People’s Council, Ngo Dinh Ngu – Chairman of the Township People’s Committee and comrades of the Township Permanent Committee – People’s Council – People’s Committee – Fatherland Front Committee, departments of town unions and lots of people.
Son Tay is an ancient land, the cultural center of Doai region, “A sacred land with extraordinary people” that has given birth to two kings national Heroes: King Bo Cai Phung Hung, King Ngo Quyen, a distinguished diplomat – Tham hoa Hoa Giang Van Minh…
Son Tay has an important geographical location, the center connects the Northwest region of the capital, is a place of convergence and spreading the values of the cultural heritage of Doai region, with many special marks in Vietnamese culture in general and the culture of the four towns of Thang Long – Hanoi.
About Son Tay and the heritage area, the place is famous by historical – cultural relics with historical thickness and the richness and uniqueness of the culture of the Northern Delta, typical of which is the ancient Son Tay citadel – the only laterite citadel in Vietnam…
Son Tay ancient citadel is a military construction built with laterite and completed in the reign of Minh Mang emperor, including works with high defensive value, such as: moats, semi-circular fortress, land outside the city, gates, walls, tribune… and became one of the symbols of Son Tay township and the land of Doai.
Over 200 years, many work items of the Ancient Citadel have been preserved almost intact, these are: Ancient Citadel campus, moats, west gate and south gate of the Citadel…
With the important nature of culture, history and unique citadel-building techniques, in 1994, the ancient Citadel was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now is the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as a historical and architectural relic at the national level.
Implementing the Resolution of the 18th National Party Congress on cultural development and Conclusion of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 2021 National Cultural Conference and the programs and resolutions of the City Committee of the Party on cultural development in general and cultural industry in particular in the capital, in the past time, Son Tay township has synchronously implemented solutions for sustainable urban development associated with conservation and promotion of heritage values, tourism development, including the ancient Citadel.
It is worth noting that the organization of extracurricular activities, visits and experiences at the Ancient Citadel relics aims to educate traditions and awareness of heritage preservation, rekindle the potential for cultural creativity in the young generation. During the 200th anniversary of the ancient citadel, Son Tay successfully organized the first International Balloon Festival in the township. In the ancient citadel, the walking streets and the surrounding areas have had many cultural activities, sports, exhibitions…
At the 200th anniversary of Son Tay Ancient Citadel, the Member of Party Central Committee, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the City Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen has glorified that Son Tay township has made many efforts to preserve and promote effectively the value of monuments, culture – history in the area, combine tourism activities, effectively exploit cultural resources for the sustainable development of the capital in the past time…
In order to effectively promote the potentials and strengths of the township in general and the values of Son Tay Ancient City in particular; In the coming time, the Party committees, authorities, fronts, unions and the people’s classes of Son Tay township should continue to value the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage associated with sustainable socio-economic development, especially the development of tourism and services; care for cultural development is both a goal and a motivation for socio-economic development.
In addition, Son Tay should promote the propaganda and education of historical traditions associated with the introduction of local cultural heritage; strengthen information, propaganda and dissemination of programs and plans of the city and township on cultural – tourism – services development so that cadres, Party members and the people’s classes unify their awareness and simultaneously respond to the implementation.
Bringing the contents of preserving and promoting cultural heritage associated with sustainable economic and tourism development into line with the content of patriotic traditional education, national pride, the spirit of solidarity in the community, the sense of preserving and protecting cultural heritage in the people’s classes, especially for the young generation.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the City Committee of the Party also proposed that departments, agencies and localities pay attention to coordinate and implement well the conservation and promotion of heritage values in the capital and township, especially to effectively exploit the potentials and strengths of each locality to develop tourism economy and cultural industry; making Son Tay town soon become a center for the development of tourism economy and urban economy of the Doai region, creating incentives for socio-economic development in the western region of Hanoi; striving to make the typical cultural relics of Son Tay upgraded as “Special national relics” by 2030.
The 200th anniversary of Son Tay Ancient Citadel also had the artistic program “Telling the story of Doai” presented by famous artists and actors, with many special songs, dances and music sections praising Son Tay Ancient Citadel, Doai’s thousand years of dedication, praising the love of the homeland, the love of Hanoi.
Thanh Thanh