On 15/1, the Cultural Heritage Department sent an official letter to the Hue Department of Culture and Sports, requesting an inspection and verification of information regarding new construction projects at Phu Noi Vu, located inside the Hue Imperial City. The inspection results are to be reported to the Hue City People's Committee and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism by 16/1.

Phu Noi Vu, situated behind Trieu To Mieu within the Hue Imperial City, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang. This agency was responsible for managing, crafting, and storing various gold, silver, and precious jewels for the Nguyen Dynasty court. By 1906, some structures within Phu Noi Vu were rebuilt in French architectural style. Today, only the main two-story building near Hien Nhon Gate remains.

For many years, the two-story building of Phu Noi Vu has severely deteriorated, with the Hue Monuments Conservation Center utilizing it as a storage facility. Old one-story buildings, constructed during the time of the Hue University of Arts, display traditional handicrafts. Open spaces and greenery surround these buildings.

Many newly constructed "ruong" style houses at Phu Noi Vu. Photo: Vo Thanh

In mid-2025, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center began constructing new structures within the Phu Noi Vu complex to serve visitors. These buildings, made of reinforced concrete, are designed in a "ruong" house style with iron columns, tiled roofs, and glass door systems. Notably, four buildings are erected in the center of the Phu Noi Vu grounds, connected by corridors. Some structures are still under construction, with exposed steel frames. These constructions do not align with any architectural styles that historically existed at the old Phu Noi Vu of the Nguyen Dynasty. The two-story French-style building, which has been in disrepair for years, remains unrestored.

The system of "ruong" style houses built in Phu Noi Vu. Photo: Van An

According to the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, the four wooden "ruong" house frames currently installed at Phu Noi Vu are only trial installations, intended for long-term use in organizing events. These structures are modular, not permanent, and do not affect the original elements of the relic. They can be disassembled and relocated when necessary. The Center also stated that existing materials are utilized to save costs and prevent waste.

"In practice, through trial use, these 'ruong' houses have proven effective, with suitable locations that do not impact the original structures. They serve well for Festival activities, events, and cultural experiences. This trial also contributes to improving the serious and unsightly degradation that has persisted for many years," the Center explained.

The Center noted that since 2021, to support Festival activities and cultural events at Phu Noi Vu, it has regularly had to rent and install temporary "ruong" houses, then dismantle them, incurring significant costs, lacking initiative, and inefficiently using resources.

To attract tourists and offer more heritage experiences, Thua Thien Hue province, now Hue City, approved a project in 2023 titled "Developing services based on promoting the value of Hue Imperial City relics until 2030". Under this plan, several areas within the Hue Imperial City, such as Lau Tu Phuong Vo Su, Tay Khuyet Dai, Phu Noi Vu, Cung Truong Sanh, and other locations, will seek investment for high-quality, appropriate business services.

Specifically for the Phu Noi Vu area, the plan involves investing in research and design for a high-quality service complex, including traditional craft village experiences. Phu Noi Vu will host experiential programs, demonstrations, and guided interactive activities for visitors to learn about the essence of Nguyen Dynasty court traditional crafts and Vietnamese folk traditional crafts. It will also feature exhibitions and introductions of handicrafts, court specialties, and traditional Hue products.

The Hue Monuments Conservation Center previously announced a search for food service providers to operate at Phu Noi Vu. The announcement detailed the scope of investment, including infrastructure renovation, landscaping, machinery, equipment, and interior decoration, suitable for operating food services, with an estimated preliminary cost of 15 - 20 billion VND.

The newly built structures at Phu Noi Vu. Photo: Van An

Researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa stated that the Phu Noi Vu area historically housed many warehouses where the Nguyen Dynasty stored various jewels and royal artifacts. After many upheavals, these warehouses no longer exist. After the war, some new structures were also built at Phu Noi Vu to serve students attending the Hue University of Arts.

"If possible, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center could restore the old warehouses of Phu Noi Vu from the Nguyen Dynasty era," Mr. Hoa suggested.

Vo Thanh