Co Loa spiral-shaped citadel restoration planning announced

A master plan for restoring the Co Loa spiral-shaped citadel in suburban Dong Anh District, Ha Noi, was unveiled by the Ministry of Construction and the municipal People’s Committee on October 26.
Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Hong Ha (R) and Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hong Son at the event (Source: VNA)
Under the planning, the Co Loa citadel will become a national historical-cultural park, covering about 860.4 hectares in Co Loa, Duc Tu, Viet Hung and Uy No communes.
The plan aims to preserve the tangible heritage’s architectural features as well as rural and agricultural environment while improving the living conditions of local residents. It also includes the study of moat restoration and tight control of housing construction in Cho and Chua villages.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hong Son said that the city has mustered resources to invest in the citadel’s central site and exhibition area to lure more tourists.
The city will repair the rampart and moat systems of the relic site and ask Dong Anh to manage the site’s land and avoid violations or encroachments, he added.
Co Loa, the biggest and most ancient citadel found in Viet Nam, was built by King An Duong Vuong between 214 and 208 BC as the capital of Au Lac, one of the earliest Vietnamese kingdoms.
It is believed to be comprised of nine concentric circles, yet only vestiges of three circles can be found at present. They include an 8km exterior wall, a 6.5km polygon-shaped inner wall, and a central 1.6km rectangular wall..