Located over 36.000
sqm, Dien Khanh Citadel was buit by Prince
Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) in 1793,
during his successful offensive against the Tay
Son insurgent army. The Citadel's design is
influenced by the West European Vauban style in
the 17th -18th century period. The wall of this
military architecture complex is shaped like a
hexagon with a total length of about 2700m and
is surrounded by a deep trench. Today, only a
few sections of the wall and the four main gates
- built in 1793-are intact. During the French
war, the ancient citadel was general headquarter
of Can Vuong insurgent army in Khanh Hoa
province. Also, it was a revolutionary base in
the American war and Dien Khanh land offered
many heros.
Coming out of the
citadel's gate to Phu Loc hamlet, we will
get the Literature temple of Confucius.
Based on historic book of "Dai Nam Nhat
Thong Chi", this temple was built in 1803.
But, on a retained stone epitaph there is a
engraved words: "The epitaph was built in
1858 ". Here, there is a list of 24 scholars
of Dien Khanh district who passed the
National Examination. This thing proves the
district is not a revolutionary base but
also a cultural area and "study-land" in
Khanh Hoa.
Continue to Dien Dien
Commune, climbing up Dai An mountain, we
will come to Thien YANA temples, linked with
the legend of the local Goddess. Inside the
temple, there is her statue sitting on the
throne and holding a fan in hand. Visiting
this temple, we will be listening the
legends concerning the Holy See who founded
the region, nurtured people, discovered the
local rice and taught habitants how to
plant, treat diseases...On 1st day of the
third Lunar month, everybody from the four
directions coming to Dai An mountain to
attend festival celebrating the day she left
the life.
(Source: TCDL/Translated
by Nhan Tam)
