Agreement upon the conservation and restoration project of Thai Hoa Palace

Inside Thai Hoa Palace

Accordingly, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism agreed upon the conservation and restoration project of Thai Hoa Palace, Imperial City, Thua Thien Hue province, including categories such as preserving and remodeling the wooden frames, the roof, foundation and wall systems of Thai Hoa Palace; preserving, repairing and restoring decorative patterns and interior works; repairing, reinforcing, and adjusting the courtyard, the handrail and the embankment wall system; embellishing the gardens, the miniature landscapes, and the technical infrastructure system.

Previously, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism had received a report from the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province, including records and minutes on the plan for conservation and restoration of Thai Hoa Palace. After reviewing, the Ministry has given a number of notes which emphasize that preservation measures must be taken for wooden structures in good condition, reinforcement and restoration measures must be taken for partially damaged ones, and replacement measures are limited only to completely damaged ones.

During the implementation process, great care must be taken when preserving and remodeling the carved decorative works with patterns and scripts (keeping these details intact, both in color and shape).

Regarding the restoration of the royal courtyard, there is an additional principle that the new paving stones are consistent in material and harmonious in color with the surrounding old stones. It is also essential to clarify the solutions for planting trees and organizing miniature landscapes, on the basis of studying historical documents, etc.

Story and photo: P.T