Dien Hai Citadel (also known as Dien Hai Garrison or the Western Fortress) is located in the city center, to the west of the Han River, now within Hai Chau Ward, Da Nang City (formerly Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City).
In the 19th century, Da Nang was the gateway to the imperial capital of Hue and the most important seaport in Central Vietnam. However, as early as the 16th century, Da Nang Port had already attracted the attention of Western merchant ships. For this reason, under the regulations of the Hue Court, Da Nang Port was designated as the sole gateway for foreign trade, both to control foreign vessels and to prevent outsiders from casting covetous eyes on the imperial capital.
Given the strategic importance of Da Nang Port, upon ascending the throne in 1802, Emperor Gia Long (Nguyen Dynasty) took measures to secure this area by building numerous fortifications on the Son Tra Peninsula and along both banks of the Han River. In addition to Dien Hai Citadel and An Hai Fortress, there were also Tran Duong That Bao and other strongholds such as My Thi, Hai Chau, Lien Tri, Phuoc Ninh, and Hoa Khue. However, the most important of them all was Dien Hai Citadel.
STRUCTURE OF DIEN HAI CITADEL ACCORDING TO HISTORICAL RECORDS
Dien Hai Citadel is located on the left bank to the west of the Han River, which is why the French referred to it as Fort de l’Ouest (Western Fortress). Initially, Emperor Gia Long ordered its construction with earth in 1813, and it was then called Bao Dien Hai. Positioned near the river mouth, it was prone to damage. By 1823, Emperor Minh Mang decreed that it be rebuilt in brick, hence renamed Dien Hai Citadel, and moved further inland, situated in the Trem area of Thach Thang Village (as it is today), to ensure greater safety. The construction was entrusted to Commander Nguyen Van Thanh.
The citadel was constructed in the Vauban style – a design by the French engineer Olivier Puymanel (who had previously collaborated with Bishop Pigneau de Béhaine in assisting Emperor Gia Long). It was built in a square shape with four rounded protruding corners, over 5 meters high, with a perimeter of 556 meters, moats more than 3 meters deep, and two gates: one facing east toward the Han River, and the main gate facing south.
The citadel had two layers of walls, separated by a deep moat, with the outer wall higher than the inner one. Within the outer wall, in addition to the residences of generals and soldiers, there were also a gunpowder magazine, armories, food storage facilities, a cannon foundry and repair workshop, as well as a royal residence and signal tower. During this period, Dien Hai Citadel was one of the most important defensive structures in Da Nang, along with An Hai Fortress on the opposite bank of the Han River, controlling the passage of ships entering and leaving Da Nang’s seaport.
DIEN HAI CITADEL FROM LIBERATION IN 1975 TO 2004
On February 4, 1976, Quang Nam – Da Nang Province decided to establish the Quang Nam – Da Nang Pharmaceutical Enterprise on the basis of merging three pharmaceutical factories: Quang Da, Quang Nam, and Zone V, located at Dien Hai Citadel. Officially commencing operations on April 10, 1976, the enterprise carried out preliminary renovations to suit the unit’s initial production conditions. However, the western wall section had been encroached upon by nearby households, leading to severe subsidence.
By 1977, in order to expand pharmaceutical production to meet increasing demand and to export certain products to the Soviet Union and other Eastern European socialist countries, the Quang Nam – Da Nang Pharmaceutical Enterprise began upgrading its facilities: constructing several single-story buildings at the front to serve as administrative offices and finished goods warehouses, while also building a warehouse system with Czechoslovakian steel frames on the western side, on the vacant land outside the citadel.
In 1985, as the Pharmaceutical Enterprise expanded production, it dismantled the two steel-frame buildings on both sides and constructed two new three-story blocks, while also renovating the old buildings left behind by the French.
On November 10, 2004, the People’s Committee of Da Nang City approved the master plan for the restoration of Dien Hai Citadel and its surrounding landscape to serve visitors and tourism. The Central Pharmaceutical Enterprise No. 5 was relocated to another site in Thanh Khe Ward.
DIEN HAI CITADEL TODAY
After 2004, Da Nang City decided to invest in the restoration and preservation of Dien Hai Citadel, funded by the National Target Program on Culture and the City. This included the reconstruction of the bastion at the northwest corner, the restoration of the northern and eastern walls, and the reconstruction of the southern gate and moat.
In addition, Da Nang Museum was constructed on the grounds of Dien Hai Citadel, with 172.5 square meters of collapsed walls rebuilt and 1,800 cubic meters of soil dredged from filled moats and trenches. During the course of construction, several remaining cannons were discovered. In 2010, Da Nang Museum was officially inaugurated and opened to visitors. The museum has also displayed the cannons found at Dien Hai Citadel in front of its premises.
In recent years, the southern gate and walls, as well as the eastern wall and part of the northern wall, have been restored. However, the western wall and moat, which are adjacent to residential areas, have not yet been repaired or preserved. Recently, the People’s Committee of Da Nang City approved the relocation of households residing west of Dien Hai Citadel in order to return the site to its original condition, with the aim of fully restoring, repairing, and preserving the entire Dien Hai Citadel in the coming years.
With these exceptional values, Dien Hai Citadel was designated as a Special National Relic by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 2082/QĐ-TTg dated December 25, 2017.
DA NANG CITY TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
