Amidst the green fields of Thanh Hoa, the Ho Dynasty Citadel appears, not noisy, not towering, but full of spirit. This unique stone structure of Vietnam and Southeast Asia is not only a historical relic but also a stone declaration of vision, human strength and aspiration to build the country in a turbulent period of the nation.
Timeless construction
The Ho Dynasty Citadel was built in just over three months in 1397, under the reign of Ho Quy Ly, a king famous for his strong reforms and bold strategic thinking. Despite his short reign, he left a great mark by moving the capital from Thang Long to Tay Do (now Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa) and building a stone citadel of unprecedented scale.
What makes the Ho Dynasty Citadel special is not only its age of more than 600 years, but also its strange construction technique: green stone blocks weighing tens of tons were fitted together extremely tightly, without mortar or adhesives, and yet they have remained solid over the centuries. To this day, scientists still cannot fully explain how the ancients transported and built such a large-scale structure in such a short time.
Not just rocks, but vision
Many people used to think that the Ho Dynasty Citadel was just an ancient stone relic, but if you look closely, it is a strategic declaration of national defense and politics. The citadel was built in a position of “leaning against the mountain, stepping on the water”, with its back leaning against Don Son mountain, facing the Ma river, located in a basin surrounded by mountains and a dangerous terrain, easy to defend but difficult to attack.
The entire citadel is rectangular, 870m long, 883m wide, with four main gates: the South gate (the largest), the North gate, the East gate and the West gate. The architecture of the citadel clearly shows a pragmatic, solid and neat mindset, different from the ornate appearance of many other citadels, reflecting the spirit of reform and moderation of the Ho Dynasty.
Stone Citadel in the middle of the rice fields, a living heritage
The strange and poetic thing is that in the middle of the peaceful countryside of Thanh Hoa, the silent stone walls of the Ho Dynasty Citadel still stand there, like an ageless “witness”. Generations of rice farmers, passing through the citadel gate, sometimes do not realize that they are living next to a World Cultural Heritage, recognized by UNESCO in 2011.
Visitors here are often surprised: there is no stage setting, only blue sky, white clouds, giant stone slabs, moss-covered walls… and the feeling of entering an original slice of history. If you go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, the sunlight slanting through the gate creates a scene that is both majestic and poetic.
How to get to Ho Dynasty Citadel?
Ho Dynasty Citadel is located in Vinh Tien commune, Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa province, about 45km from Thanh Hoa city center. You can go by motorbike, private car or take the bus from Thanh Hoa city to Vinh Loc. The road is quite easy, follow National Highway 45, to Vinh Loc town, turn onto Road 217 and you will see the sign to the relic site.
The relic site is large, including the inner city, La Thanh (outer citadel), temple grounds and surrounding relics. Currently, there is an exhibition center, tram tours and local tour guide services.
A block of stone – an era
The Ho Dynasty Citadel is not as grand as Hue, not as splendid as Thang Long, but it has its own unique beauty, the beauty of depth, of human strength, of far-sighted vision. It is the result of a historical “bet”: to build a new political center, a stronghold against foreign invaders, a major reform step in the midst of uncertainty about the people and the times.
And even though that era did not last long, that thousand-year-old stone is still there, proving the aspiration of the Vietnamese people to control their own destiny since ancient times.
