
Da Nang (VNA) - Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains) landscape site in thecentral city of Da Nang has been recognised as a national Special Relic, one ofthe 16 approved by the Prime Minister recently.
Director of the city’s Department of Culture andSports Huynh Van Hung said the mountains were among the most visited sites in DaNang and the city’s second national special relic after Dien Hai citadel wasrecognised last year.
He said the recognition will help the cityinvest more funds in preserving historical sites, cultural relics and ancientbuildings.
The site, which features five mountains by a pristine beach in Ngu HanhSon district, was first recognised as a national historical and cultural relicin 1990.
The landscape, which covers 2.2sq.km, was giventhe name Ngu Hanh Son, or Non Nuoc, by King Minh Mang under the Nguyen Dynastyin 1837.
According to archaeologists, the complex ofmarble mountains were formerly islands. The beach they sit on ranges from SonTra peninsula to Non Nuoc beach.
Rainwater and weather gradually turned the fivemountains into different shades of white, pink, red, blue and brown, and formedcaves with beautiful stalactites.
Over time, pagodas were built in the caves and astone sculpture village emerged.
Thuy Son Mountain stands 160 metres tall on anarea of 15 hectares. Its caves and stalactite formations are the most visitedfeature of the complex.
Kim Son Mountain, the largest ofthe Marble Mountains, hosts the annual Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival –one of the 15 largest events in Vietnam –at the Da and Quan The Am pagodas on the 19th day of the second lunar month.The festival draws around 10,000 residents and tourists each year.
The 400-year-old Non Nuoc stone sculpturevillage at the foot of the Marble Mountains was also recognised as a nationalintangible heritage. The complex hosted 1.5 million tourists in 2018.
According to the cultural heritage departmentunder the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a total of 106 relics havereceived national special relic status.
Da Nang has included 50 historical sites and 18national historical monuments in its restoration project for 2016-2020.-VNA