An Tho Citadel is located in An Tho village, An Dan commune, Tuy An district. Constructed between 1832 and 1836 during the reign of King Minh Mạng, the citadel originally spanned an area of approximately 6,400 m². Its design features 4 outward-facing corners, surrounded by high walls with deep trenches for defense, and 4 gates oriented in the cardinal directions. Outside the An Tho Citadel, there are also several auxiliary facilities, such as the citadel's protective dike, firing range, elephant mound, and citadel market, etc.
Upon its completion, An Tho Citadel served as the administrative center for the feudal government of Phu Yen Province and Tuy An District until 1899. Between 1901 and 1906, Mr Tran Van Pho, the father of Comrade Tran Phu, was appointed as the Academic Instructor at Tuy An Palace. Mr Pho relocated his entire family to reside and work within the An Tho Citadel. It was here, on May 1, 1904, that Comrade Tran Phu, the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, was born.
During the war, this area suffered extensive damage, leading to An Tho Citadel becoming a ruin. After 1975, the government undertook partial renovations to serve as the headquarters for the Dong An Dan Agricultural Cooperative. On August 22, 2005, the Ministry of Culture, Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) officially recognized An Tho Citadel as a national archaeological site. In 2011, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Phu Yen Province, the local Culture Department restored An Tho Citadel, transforming it into a cultural and tourist destination, marking its historical significance as the birthplace of the first General Secretary of the Communist Party. Since then, An Tho Citadel has regularly hosted government officials, as well as numerous delegations of tourists and students to visit.
 |
| An Tho Citadel in former days |
 |
| The An Tho Citadel campus being an archaeological site, contributing to the discovery of numerous valuable historical artifacts |
 |
| Reception ceremony for national historical and cultural relics |
 |
| State President Truong Tan Sang along with leaders of Phu Yen province visiting An Tho Citadel in 2011 |
 |
| This is a traditional revolutionary educational address for students |
 |
| Applying modern technology to serve visitors to learn about the archaeological relics of An Tho Citadel |
 |
| The An Tho Citadel today standing peacefully between a lush green area and a village on the Cai River |
Source: Phu Yen Newspaper
Translated by HAI LOAN
