Thang Long Imperial Citadel celebrates Capital Liberation with a host of activities

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital, the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center is organizing a series of exhibitions at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Site.

Hanoi and the Gates

As many as 170 documents and pictures on the gates around the capital city of Hanoi will be on display at an exhibition at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel from October 7.

O Quan Chuong (Quan Chuong Gate) in the early 20th century. File Photo

The gates are a small part of the large collection of famous architectural works in Hanoi from different historical periods, but they carry a long story of the city. They encompass history, politics, culture, and social life. For many people, the gates evoke fond memories, remind them of the glorious past of their ancestors, and inspire them to cherish the present and build the future.

Under the theme "Hanoi and the Gates", the exhibition will feature three themes: "The Old Gates", "The Gates of Victory" and "Hanoi's Gates Today".

Through historical documents, images, maps, and drawings, as well as materials written in Chinese characters and French that are stored at the École Française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO) in Hanoi, the exhibition aims to reconstruct the history of Hanoi's gates, providing a vivid and direct perspective on the social life activities surrounding these gates and the disappearance of most of them in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The exhibition will also present documents and images related to the signing of the Geneva Accords, the seizure of the capital in 1954, and the glorious achievements of the Hanoi City Party Committee, the armed forces, and the people.

President Ho Chi Minh's career through stamp and postcard collections

On display is an extensive collection of 400 stamps and postcards arranged into comprehensive and diverse themes. It includes various stamp designs featuring President Ho Chi Minh issued by Vietnam and other countries, as well as envelopes and letters from the early 20th century. Additionally, there are postcards in cities around the world where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked, or traveled through, as well as stamps depicting the portrait of President Ho Chi Minh issued by the Postal Service.

The collections are divided into six parts, reflecting the patriotic young man Nguyen Tat Thanh (Ho Chi Minh's alias in his youth) determined to find a way to liberate the nation, revolutionary activist Nguyen Ai Quoc (another alias of Ho Chi Minh) participated in the international communist and labor movement, President Ho Chi Minh led the successful resistance and nation building, President Ho Chi Minh led the Vietnamese people to fight against imperialism to unify the country, the people follow the path of the great President Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi is determined to follow the teachings of Uncle Ho.

Various cultural activities will take place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Photo: An Nhien/The Hanoi Times

Hau Lau (Princess Palace) Relic

The exhibition aims to promote the value of the Hau Lau relic that the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center has recently researched. The interpretive information through the image panel system helps visitors learn more about the meaning of the work, the unique features of the architecture and decorative arts, and conveys the wishes for peace and happiness of the kings of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Thang Long-Hanoi, a thousand years of underground history

The exhibition contributes to honoring and highlighting the valuable artifacts excavated from the heritage area of Thang Long Imperial Citadel. In particular, 3D mapping projection technology, interactive screens, and special display cases with OLED touch screens are added to help visitors interact and feel the special values of the relics.

Excavation site behind Doan Mon. Photo courtesy of Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center.