Ngu Phungau is deteriorating after 4 years of restoration without annual maintenance

Day la hinh anh lau Ngu Phung (Ngo Mon, Dai Noi Hue) chup vao thang 5.2021 – 5 thang sau khi cong trinh hoan tat cong tac trung tu voi tong kinh phi hon 80 ti dong.

This is an image of Ngu Phung tower (Ngo Mon, Hue Imperial City) taken in May 2021 - 5 months after the project completed the restoration work with a total cost of more than 80 billion VND.

Con day, la hien trang lau Ngu Phung duoc chup vao cuoi nam 2024 - sau hon 3 nam cong trinh duoc ban giao dua vao khai thac phuc vu du khach tham quan.

Here, the current state of Ngu Phung tower was photographed at the end of 2024 - after more than 3 years of the project being handed over and put into operation to serve tourists.

Co the thay, tang 1 va tang 2 cua lau Ngu Phung da thay doi mau sac mot cach ro ret. Tu mot dien mao tuoi tan, bong loang, cong trinh da tro nen “bac trot”, mau sac nhat nhoa. (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

It can be seen that the first and second floors of Ngu Phung tower have changed their colors significantly. From a fresh, shiny appearance, the project has turned silver and light (photo taken in May 2025).

Theo ghi nhan cua phong vien Bao Lao Dong giua thang 5.2025, nhieu hang muc cua lau Ngu Phung dang bi xuong cap nghiem trong. Cac cot go xuat hien dom den, bac mau, troc son.

According to a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper in mid-May 2025, many items of Ngu Phung tower are seriously degraded. The wooden columns appear black, silver, and painted peeling.

Phan lon cac cau kien bang go lim nhu cua, tran, nep, lan can… den tung chi tiet nho da phai mau, loang lo. (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

Most of the structures made of ironwood such as doors, ceilings,ep, railings... have withered and become unstable in every small detail. (Photo taken in May 2025).

Nhin bang mat thuong co the thay mot so hang muc chang khac gi go muc, cui kho. (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

With the naked eye, it can be seen that some items are no different from rotten wood. (Photo taken in May 2025).

Photo taken in May 2021.

Tim hieu duoc biet, Ngo Mon duoc xay dung vao nam Minh Mang thu 14 (1833). Day la cong trinh kien truc tieu bieu nhat trong bon cong cua Hoang Thanh. Viec trung tu Ngo Mon cung da duoc thuc hien nhieu lan (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

It is known that Ngo Mon was built in the 14th year of the Ming Dynasty (1833). This is the most typical architectural work of the four gates of the Imperial Citadel. The restoration of Ngo Mon has also been carried out many times ( Photo taken in May 2025).

Photo taken in May 2021.

Photo taken in May 2025, almost all the colors on the 2nd floor have disappeared.

O dot trung tu keo dai tu nam 2012 den 2019 (lan trung tu gan nhat), Ngo Mon duoc tu bo toan dien, trong do co rat nhieu hang muc quan trong nhu: Tu bo phan nen dai va lau Ngu Phung (gia co nen mong, ve sinh than dai, tu bo lan can, nen gach cung nhu sua chua he thong vom cua phia duoi than dai) (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

During the restoration period lasting from 2012 to 2019 (the most recent restoration), Ngo Mon was completely restored, including many important items such as: Renovation of the base and Ngu Phungau (Fundament reinforcement, defense of the fund, restoration of railings, brick floor as well as repair of the door arch system below the fund) ( Photo taken in May 2025).

Dong thoi, phuc che phan trang tri mai va xu ly bao quan, chong moi cho cong trinh; son thep toan bo cau kien go lau Ngu Phung (hai tang nha chinh va Ta, Huu Duc Lau) bang ky thuat son truyen thong; he thong chieu sang noi that, chong chay theo ky thuat hien dai…. Khi do, viec trung tu Ngo Mon duoc chia thanh hai giai doan 2012 - 2015 va 2016 - 2019 voi so von dau tu hon 80 ti dong. Trong do, giai doan 2, cong trinh duoc dau tu voi khoang kinh phi 44 ti dong. Tuy nhien, chi sau 4 nam dua vao khai thac, su dung lau Ngu Phung da “xuong sac” ro ret. (Anh chup thang 5.2025).

At the same time, repair the roof decoration and treatment of preservation and fireproofing for the project; paint all Ngu Phungau go components (the two floors of the main house and Ta, Huu Duc Lau) with traditional painting techniques; interior lighting and fire protection system according to modern techniques.... At that time, the restoration of Ngo Mon was divided into two stages 2012 - 2015 and 2016 - 2019 with an investment capital of more than 80 billion VND. Of which, phase 2, the project is invested with a budget of about 44 billion VND. However, after only 4 years of operation and use, Ngu Phung tower has clearly "shaped". (Photo taken in May 2025).

Lien quan den van de nay, hoa si Nguyen Phuoc Vinh Khanh - nguoi co nhieu nam nghien cuu, tham gia trung tu cac di tich va lang tam Hue cua trieu Nguyen danh gia rang, bang truc quan, co the thay cong trinh lau Ngu Phung xuong cap rat nhanh, chung to cong tac trung tu cong trinh nay co van de. Thong thuong, cac di tich sau khi duoc trung tu co the ton tai hang chuc nam moi can trung tu lai do tac dong cua thoi gian va thoi tiet. “Con o day, cong trinh nay chi moi 4 nam ma da xuong cap nhanh nhu vay, ca nhan toi cho rang kha nang rat cao la do quy trinh, vat lieu trong cong tac trung tu khong dam bao. Chi moi 4 nam nhung da bac het mau thi viec trung tu, bao ton cho cong trinh nay la dieu rat dang lo ngai”, ong Khanh noi.

Regarding this issue, painter Nguyen Phuoc Vinh Khanh - who has many years of researching and participating in the restoration of Hue monuments and tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty assessed that, by visual, it can be seen that the project of Ngu Phung is degraded very quickly, proving that the restoration of this project has a problem. Typically, the relics after being restored can exist for decades to restore due to the impact of time and weather. "And here, this project has only been 4 years of degradation so fast, I personally think that the possibility is very high because the process and materials in the restoration work are not guaranteed. Only 4 years but the silver is out of color, the restoration and conservation of this project is very worrying," Mr. Khanh said.

Trao doi voi phong vien Bao Lao Dong, ong Hoang Viet Trung - Giam doc Trung tam Bao ton Di tich Co do Hue cho biet, da nam duoc tinh hinh cong trinh lau Ngu Phung xuong cap, bac mau. Truoc cau hoi vi sao cong trinh vua duoc trung tu nhung da bac mau nhanh nhu vay, ong Trung ly giai nguyen nhan la do thoi tiet, khi hau khac nghiet cua Hue anh huong lon den chat luong cong trinh. Cung theo ong Trung, du an trung tu lau Ngu Phung sau khi hoan thanh khong co che do bao hanh, cung nhu khong duoc duy tu, bao duong dinh ky hang nam. “Chung toi dang tien hanh ra soat, danh gia lai cong trinh de dua ra cac phuong an toi uu cho cong trinh von la bo mat cua Dai Noi Hue”, ong Trung noi.

On May 22, talking to the Lao Dong Newspaper reporter, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung - Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center said that he had grasped the situation of the construction of the project, the Flower Floor was degraded and faded. Facing the question why the building has just been restored but faded so quickly, Mr. Trung explained that the reason was due to the harsh weather and climate of Hue greatly affecting the quality of the project. Also according to Mr. Trung, the project restoring Ngu Phung floor after completion has no warranty, as well as not being maintained and maintained every year. "We are conducting a review and re -evaluation of the project to offer the optimal plans for the work that is the face of the great Hue inner Hue" - Mr. Trung said.