THỪA THIÊN- HUẾ — Central Thừa Thiên- Huế Province plans to build four parks with sculptures in its municipal city in an attempt to beautify the landscape around the former imperial capital city of Huế.

The provincial People’s Committee has agreed to a proposal by the local Department of Culture and Sports to erect statues of historical and cultural personalities around the province to beautify the natural scenery as well as to remind the youth about those people.

Under the plan, Huế City will get four sculpture parks at Ngự Bình Mountain, Kim Long Park, Bàu Vá Park and Vọng Cảnh Hill. Of these, Vọng Cảnh Hill, which offers the best view of the famous Hương (Perfume) River in the city, needs a quick upgrade of its ambiance as it has been lying desolate for almost a decade after a resort dispute.

The authorities will erect 11 big statues and a large emboss painting at several sites around the city. The Hến Islet, which emerges in the middle of the river, will get a 9m tall statue of Princess Huyền Trân and an emboss painting depicting Champa culture. Local people considered the princess the founder of their land after her marriage to a Champa king.

Dã Viên, another river islet, will have a statue-sightseeing tower to provide an aerial view of the former citadel of Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945) from the river.

Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, who lived in Huế and ruled the country from 1613 to 1635, will have his statue installed at Kim Long Park. Nguyễn Lords (1558-1777) were the ancestors of the kings of Nguyễn Dynasty later in Huế.

A statue of late composer Trịnh Công Sơn, who was a native of Huế and was popular for hundreds of songs, will be erected at a peninsula at Thủy Biều Ward.

Statues of 11 local heroines, known as Hương River’s 11 Ladies, will have their statues at a new residential area in the city.

Outlying districts will get statues of historical figures who were born in the districts, including Phong Điền District, where a statue of former imperial ruler General Nguyễn Tri Phương will be erected.

According to the committee, work will begin from this year and is expected to be complete by 2020.

Local authorities earlier came under criticism for failing to protect the statue of patriot Phan Bội Châu as well as other statues created by international artists at a sculpture festival held in the city a decade ago.

Statues from the festival lay scattered in several parks in the city and were gradually destroyed with time and people. — VNS