Quang Tri Ancient Citadel

Quang Tri citadel on the bank of Thach Han river was the site of fierce battles during the US war in Vietnam. The site became the tomb of tens of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed their lives for national liberation. It now attracts many foreign and Vietnamese tourists.

Located in the centre of Quang Tri town in Quang Tri province, the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel is about 2km north of the National Highway 1A, and 500m east of the Thach Han River (Photo: VNA)

The citadel was built in 1809 under the order of King Gia Long. Initially, it was made of clay. In 1837, it was rebuilt in brick during the reign of King Minh Mang (Photo: VNA)

This relic site is seen as an eye-witness of fierce battles during the anti-American resistance war in 1972 (Photo: VNA)

During the 81-day fight, the citadel was almost destroyed by thousands of tons of bombs released by the US army (Photo: VNA)

In the 1990s of the 20th century, the Quang Tri provincial authorities restored the citadel. Nowadays, the citadel becomes a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army and people, and to educate youths about the nation's revolutionary tradition and its patriotism (Photo: VNA)

The citadel is a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army, and to educate youths about the nation's revolutionary tradition and its patriotism (Photo: VNA)

The citadel is a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army, and to educate youths about the nation's revolutionary tradition and its patriotism (Photo: VNA)

VNA