Karcher's cleaning up work at the Ngọ Môn Gate in Huế Citadel. —VNS Photo Xuân Đạt

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Moss covering the 200-year-old brick surface of Huế’s ancient citadel has been successfully removed with an advanced German technique using hot vapour.

Authorities from the former royal capital city and the German Embassy announced the completion of the project on Friday morning. It began in the middle of March.

The Ngọ Môn Gate, which serves as the main entrance to the Imperial City built by the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945) in Huế, looks renewed after the project, which used steam cleaning equipment developed by Germany’s Karcher Company.

According to Huế Monuments Conservation Centre, the project was part of the German company’s programme to sponsor the cleaning of cultural monuments around the world. It was run by Karcher Việt Nam and supported by skilled experts sent by the company in Germany.

The centre is a local government body that manages all relics built by the Nguyễn Dynasty in Huế. Võ Lê Nhật, the centre’s director, said the old bricks were vulnerable to pressure but the cleaning was done carefully to restore their original colour. The cleaning process was designed to extend the lifespan of the materials.

The centre had been trying to find a safe way to remove the moss for years before Karcher volunteered to help. — VNS