Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel is one of the vestiges and images of Vietnam’s feudal period. Traveling to Bac Ninh, in addition to the curved communal house roofs, the water well banyan tree still exists the citadel for many generations still standing with the events of time. Bac Ninh ancient citadel is considered as one of the most beautiful citadel in Bac Ky.
WHERE IS THE BAC NINH Citadel ?
Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel is a fortress from the 19th century, serving military purposes, allowing passengers to visit the famous outdoor moat and banyan tree. About 30km from the center of Hanoi City, the North Citadel Ninh is a famous tourist attraction in Ho Chi Minh City. Bac Ninh.
Bac Ninh ancient citadel, a typical military art and architecture of Bac Ninh province, was built in 1805 during the reign of King Gia Long, Nguyen dynasty, on the territory of Do Xa villages, Vo Giang district, Hoa Dinh (Tien Tien). Du) and Yen Xa village, Yen Phong district (now in Ve An ward, Bac Ninh city). The town center of Bac Ninh town was formerly in Dap Cau commune of Vo Giang district.
HOW TO TRANSLATE TO BAC NINH CITY
From Hanoi City to Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel, it takes about 60 minutes by motorbike and 40 minutes by car, the road is very convenient.
ROAD FIRST
From Hanoi city, you move in the direction of Long Bien bridge or Chuong Duong bridge. If it’s Long Bien bridge, you drive straight along Ngoc Lam street, turn left at the green light and then turn left.
If you go in the direction of Chuong Duong bridge, then go straight in the direction of Nguyen Van Cu street. At the red light, continue straight to the overpass at the intersection between Highway 5 and Nguyen Van Cu Street, then go under the bridge.
Running along Viet Hung city, then going to Duong bridge, going to Yen Vien area, you drive in the direction of National Highway 1A for about 13km to Tu Son town of Bac Ninh province.
From this point, still in the direction of National Highway 1A, you go another 12km to Bac Ninh city. You then ask for directions to the Citadel. This is a fairly short route, easy to find, but from Duong bridge to Tu Son town, there are many potholes that are difficult to go, so you should pay attention to the speed, slow down so as not to cause an accident!
SECOND ROAD
This is a very short road, only about 25km from Thanh Tri bridge point. You drive straight in the direction of National Highway 1, go through about 5 overpass sections, see Bac Ninh General Hospital, then turn left, cross the bridge is the territory of Bac Ninh city.
This is an easy highway to go, easy to find, it only takes you about half an hour to go from the beginning of Thanh Tri bridge to here.
On the way, remember to strictly obey the traffic rules to avoid being fined and disadvantaged for the transfer process!
BAC NINH CITY CITY ARCHITECTURE
According to Prof. Dr. Do Van Ninh, author of the book The Ancient Citadel of Vietnam, Bac Ninh Citadel is the first ancient citadel of Vietnam built according to a hexagonal (6-sided) project. In terms of architecture, Bac Ninh citadel was one of the four most beautiful citadels in Tonkin at that time. According to the ancient Vietnamese measurement system, the circumference of the citadel is 532 meters long, 3 meters long, and 2 centimeters long. The brick wall is 9 meters high.
Around there is a moat 4 meters wide and 5 meters deep. The citadel has 4 gates, each gate has a bridge over the moat. For many years, people and vehicles have only used the money gate in the east and the back gate in the west. These two gates are named for two streets: Gate Tien Street in Tien An Ward, and Gate Hau Street in the past years. Ve An Ward.
In the citadel, there are several divisions, including the defense camp, the radio station, the gunpowder depot, and the communal house. At the six corners of the citadel, there are fortresses jutting out, in a typical vauban (vauban) style. This is a big citadel after the Hanoi Citadel, proving the special interest of the Nguyen Dynasty if it is important in all aspects of the land of Bac Ninh.
HISTORY BAC NINH Ancient Citadel
In February of the Year of the Rat (1804), King Gia Long moved the old town to Loi Dinh commune, Tien Du district.
At first, Bac Ninh citadel was only covered with earth, until the 6th year of Minh Mang (1825), the citadel was rebuilt with laterite and finally rebuilt with bricks in the Thieu Tri period (1841). The citadel was built at the border of 3 communes in 3 districts: Do Xa (Vo Giang district), Khuc Toai (Yen Phong district) and Loi Dinh (Tien Du district).
This is the first ancient citadel of Vietnam built according to the hexagonal plan. In terms of architecture, Bac Ninh Citadel was one of the four most beautiful citadels in Tonkin at that time. The citadel has an area of 545,000m2, the wall is 9 meters high, covered with earth and stone, later replaced with stone bricks, the circumference is more than 532 meters long, surrounded by a deep moat.
DISCOVER BAC NINH Citadel
Surrounded by a moat 4 feet wide and 5 meters deep. The citadel has 4 gates, each of which has a bridge over the moat. The Money Gate is in the South, the Hau Gate in the North, the East Gate on the left and the West Gate on the right. Each gate has a bridge over the outer moat. The book “Bac Ninh province of geography” states: “Three gates of Tien, Hau, and Huu inside were built in the year of the Rooster (1805), the upper and lower parts of those gates as well as the adjacent walls are made of earth and bricks. , stone.
Inside the gate, there are many houses with tile roofs, the gate on the left inside was built in the year of Giap Tuat (1814) made of earth, above there is a three-room bridge with tiled roofs. Money Gate is the main gate of the citadel, so it is built the tallest. Through the Tien Gate is a brick-built flagpole, 17m high, nearly equal to the flagpole of Hanoi City. The city gate is open seasonally. In the spring, soldiers wear red clothes and carry swords. In the sunny season, they wear yellow clothes and wear a bow. Autumn day wearing white clothes carrying guns. Winter wears black clothes, carries a spear. At the six corners of the city, there are fortresses protruding out, in the typical Vauban style.
This is clearly a big citadel after Hanoi City, demonstrating the great interest of the Nguyen Dynasty if the importance of all aspects of Bac Ninh land. In the citadel, there are arranged parts including the defense camp, the radio tower, the gunpowder store, and the communal house.
Surrounding Bac Ninh citadel, the Nguyen Dynasty also built many works such as: Moving the Temple of Literature from Thi Cau to building at the top of Phuc Son mountain, restoring the Khai Thanh Temple; In the 14th year of Minh Menh, the Xa Tac Dan was built in Loi Dinh, the Tien Nong Dan was in Y Na; In the 18th year of Minh Menh, a school was built in Do Xa, in the 21st year of Minh Menh, the temple of Council was established in Loi Dinh; In the first year of Thieu Tri, Thanh Hoang Temple was built in Loi Dinh.
Bac Ninh citadel is a massive and solid work, and at the same time the center of the administrative apparatus of the Nguyen Dynasty in Bac Ninh province. Many important historical events of the country and the province were introduced here. During the Nguyen Dynasty, Bac Ninh Citadel was the center of the administrative apparatus of the two provinces of Bac Ninh – Thai Nguyen.
Based in Bac Ninh citadel, Nguyen army officers often had to deal with peasant uprisings against the Nguyen Dynasty, including many sieges of Bac Ninh citadel by Cai Vang insurgents in the second half of the 19th century. Before the French occupation, the provincial capital of Bac Ninh was just a block of streets stretching along the stone station road for about 1500 m, mainly more than 1500 Chinese people lived, while the mandarins and government were stationed in the city.
In March 1864, before the fair attack of warships and cannons of the French colonialists, the Nguyen army in Bac Ninh citadel had to surrender. Bac Ninh province was occupied and ruled by French colonialists from that historical time. During the French colonial period, determining the important position of this citadel, on May 16, 1925, the Governor General of Indochina signed a decision to rank the Bac Ninh Citadel relic as a typical architectural and artistic work. Professor, Dr. Do Van Ninh, author of the book “Vietnam’s Ancient Citadel”.
During the French colonial period, Bac Ninh town was an important military base in Tonkin. The inner city area was cleared to make room for troops. The high hills in Dap Cau and Thi Cau became solid fortresses. The French army gathered here quite crowded, usually about 2,000 names. Legionnaires, gunners, logistics stationed at Dap Cau, Thi Cau. Red loincloths were stationed in Bac Ninh citadel, and blue loincloths were stationed at the beginning of Ninh Xa street.
In parallel with consolidating the military base, the French colonialists also built many civil and commercial buildings such as Department of Trade, Public Works, Land Administration, Post Office, Bank, Department of Agriculture, School… The face of the streets, wharf markets, houses, and mansions has had many innovations. Bac Ninh’s commercial and business activities have been quite vibrant and busy. By 1938 Bac Ninh became the fifth city of Tonkin after Hanoi, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, and Hai Duong.
Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel also used to be the launching place of many struggles of Bac Ninh people in the resistance movement against the French. The ancient citadel was ranked by the People’s Committee of Ha Bac province as a typical historical and architectural monument according to the Regulations. Decree No. 144/QD-UB dated March 15, 1980. On October 24, 1981, the People’s Committee of Ha Bac province issued Regulation No. 574/QD-UB on the protection of the relics of Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel.
According to this Regulation, the inner city area and the outer moat are inviolable. The area around the city walls and the lake must not be arbitrarily leveled or excavated to damage the relic. The People’s Committee of Ha Bac province assigned the protection of Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel to the People’s Committee of Bac Ninh town (now Bac Ninh city). Today, Bac Ninh ancient citadel is a charming tourist destination that many tourists near and far come to visit. . According to Bac Ninh travel experience, you can also combine visiting temples with discovering the most beautiful ancient capital in Bac Ky.
PLACES TO dine and drink around the Citadel of BAC NINH
Fried dumplings
The shop is only open in the afternoon, especially because the cake is delicious, so it always runs out early. Once enjoyed, it is hard to forget the crispy feeling on the outside of the cake, the rich inside includes lean meat, pepper, onions, a quail egg all blended together.
Along with that is the sweet and sour vegetable dipping sauce (papaya, kohlrabi, etc. depending on the season) to enhance the taste of the cake.
Location: Gate O, Ngo Gia Tu Street, Ninh Xa Ward, Bac Ninh.
Fish cake
Speaking of fish cakes, it is impossible not to mention the rich taste of fish along with spices. Along with that is the pungent pungent flavor of chili, but still does not lose the slightly “fishy” flavor of the fish.
The dish will be more delicious when eaten hot and eaten in cold winter.
Location: Korean Restaurant, 23 Ngoc Han Cong Chua, Bac Ninh City.
Grilled meat rolls
With a tough and flexible roll cake shell, served with delicious grilled meat. Outstanding, indispensable a little crispy purple onion, along with a bowl of sweet and salty fish sauce that blends wonderfully.
Location: there are many selling points in Bac Ninh City.
Toasted bread
Bread is watered by charcoal stove, covered with a layer of golden butter, creating an unforgettable aftertaste for those who enjoy this dish.
Location: Nhon market, Bac Ninh city.
On weekends, stay away from the hustle and bustle of the Capital. Come visit Bac Ninh Ancient Citadel and enjoy the food here that will surely leave you with fond memories.
Source: Collected internet.