100-year-old villa in Dong Nai to be preserved

A 100-year-old French-style villa in Dong Nai Province will be preserved, despite initial plans to demolish it for a road construction project.

A 100-year-old villa in Dong Nai Province. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan

The Standing Committee of the Dong Nai Party Committee decided on Thursday to conserve the villa, located in Buu Long Ward, due to its cultural, historical and architectural significance.

The decision followed evaluations and recommendations by various sectors and the Bien Hoa City People's Committee. The villa, which stands on land designated for the 5.2-kilometer Dong Nai riverine road project, was initially slated for demolition as two-thirds of it fell within the project's boundaries. However, the villa's owners advocated for its preservation.

The villa, built between 1922 and 1924, is currently maintained by descendants of Vo Ha Thanh, a former provincial governor. Over time, the structure has degraded, prompting the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to propose its inclusion on the list of provincial-level monuments in 2016, recognizing its architectural value.

However, efforts to classify the villa as a provincial monument have been delayed due to ongoing ownership disputes among Thanh’s descendants. The department has since paused its plans to officially list the villa.

(Source:Vnexpress)