Thai Hoa Palace was built by King Gia Long in 1805 in the Dai Cung Mon area. In 1833, King Minh Mang rebuilt the structure in its current location. Thai Hoa Palace is the most important architectural structure in the Nguyen Dynasty Royal Palace. This is where the Emperor sat on the throne, held court sessions, grand ceremonies and important court rituals.

Thai Hoa Palace is a typical architectural work of the Hue Monuments that has been preserved intact to this day. This is not only an architectural work but also a place to preserve a system of literature and poetry, in the unique "one poem, one painting" decorative form that has been recognized by UNESCO as a Documentary Heritage under the Asia-Pacific Memory of the World Program. After more than 200 years of existence, having undergone many restorations and renovations, Thai Hoa Palace is still seriously degraded. At the end of 2021, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center started the project to preserve and restore the Thai Hoa Palace with a total investment of nearly 129 billion VND, including the central budget, local budget and other mobilized sources. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Uyen, a tour guide in Hue, said:

“During the tour of Hue Citadel, every time I take visitors past Thai Hoa Palace which is under renovation, they also hope that Thai Hoa Palace will soon be put into operation so that they can visit. This is a very unique attraction that visitors cannot miss when coming to Hue Citadel.”

Thai Hoa Palace was renovated, reinforced foundation, restored tiled floor, Thanh Hoa stone steps, brick walls, restored original color; renovated, restored wooden frame system, roof system, wooden wall system, wooden doors; gilded lacquer; tiled roof; roof edges and porcelain inlaid figures; enamel decoration system... The project also renovated, restored the throne, canopy and furniture; renovated, reinforced, adjusted the entire courtyard of the Palace, the retaining wall system, restored railings; embellished garden, miniature landscape; lighting system...

Mr. Ho Duc Trong, head of the painting team at the Thai Hoa Palace restoration project, said that the units are taking advantage of the time to speed up the progress to ensure completion by the end of November: "The gilding stage is in the final stage of urgent completion. In the painting team, we have 30 to 32 people. To ensure the project is on schedule, due to the hot summer weather, in addition to working 2 shifts a day, the company has also added a 3rd shift."

The biggest goal of the Project to Preserve and Restore the Thai Hoa Palace is to ensure the original elements of the monument. Therefore, before dismantling this project, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center conducted a 3D scan, reconstructed the Thai Hoa Palace in real size, and real images of the existing structures to preserve the original elements as a basis for comparison and contrast during the restoration process.

Mr. Ho Huu Hanh, Director of Hue Monuments Restoration Joint Stock Company, said: This project belongs to group B, according to regulations, it takes 4 years from the date of commencement to handover for use. However, for Thai Hoa Palace, which is the destination for all tourists, the construction unit has put all its resources and experience into this project. To date, more than 80% has been completed, and it is expected that by the end of November 2024, the completed project will contribute to creating a highlight, attracting more domestic and international tourists to visit the Complex of Hue Monuments.

“This is one of the largest-scale projects in the Hue Citadel and also the most valuable. It is the only remaining palace in Vietnam, with the scale and value of the project. When we started the design and construction, we focused on the original elements.”