New discovery in the Forbidden City

After 3 excavations (2004-2005-2006), recently scientists from the Vietnam Institute of Archeology have discovered many new details about the Forbidden City (Citadel) under the Tay Son dynasty in Nhon commune. Hau, An Nhon district (Binh Dinh).

This is the place where the Tay Son insurgent headquarters was located in the first start-up; is the planning site, the starting point of the Tay Son insurgent in the South to the North smashed the Nguyen lord, destroyed the Trinh lord, unified the country. This relic was later destroyed by Nguyen (Nguyen Anh).

The moon shaped lake is located next to Bat Giac Palace (Photo: TTO)

Dr. Le Dinh Phung, Vietnam Institute of Archeology said: the 3rd excavation was conducted from October to December 2006 and gave quite interesting results: The Forbidden City was built at the center of the emperor, the outside and around the Forbidden City are the low mound hills that surround the Canh Tien mound, the mound of mound, moc tap, moc Son mound and Thap Thap mound.

Inside the Forbidden City is a solidly built and solid inner citadel that creates a three-layer belt system to become the center of protection. The Forbidden City has a rectangular surface, north-south direction, size 312m x 126m and the main door opens to the south.

In terms of structure, the outer wall is built on two sides of laterite, in the middle is a compacted soil layer. In the middle of the city, there is a main architectural axis built straight north - south, including architectural works: Nam Mon - Cung Cung Bong - Octagonal - Primitive and Harem . divided into two equal parts. The architecture located on the main axis has a very uniform distribution distance and the two main architectural parties have other supporting cultural architectures (not recorded in the old material) such as two lakes of crescent moon and feces Dad posted to the octagonal floor, or the lake-shaped lake.

Compared to the previous announcement, the excavation this time not only has an open door to the south, but has discovered at least 3 more doors in the east - south - west, in which the main door opens to the south.

In addition, archaeologists also discovered more sewer systems built quite elaborately and evenly distributed in the heart of a complete plan . Many artifacts made of pottery, porcelain, earthenware are valuable, and bricks and tiles have just been discovered. Through the types of artifacts, materials and processing techniques, they are similar in terms of age and have the same age as the citadel .

Traces of the west wall of the Forbidden City (Photo: TTO)

The fake island is located between Bat Giac and the palace itself (Photo: TTO).

Thus, according to the study results of the excavation of the Forbidden City this time, scientists of the Vietnam Institute of Archeology and Binh Dinh Province have concluded more: the architecture in the Forbidden City was built with the main calculations. accurate, thorough, well-distributed architectural premises and the main character. The main architectures are located on a central axis of the citadel and the auxiliary architectures are posted on both sides.

The scale of Tu Cam Thanh architecture is not large, the area and the construction area is narrow but still shows the strictness in planning the ground and hiding in the face of the capital of a dynasty, the main center. a nation's military, economic, cultural and social values ​​in a historical period.