Many urban architectural works with 'golden' locations cannot be ranked as relics.

At a press conference on the socio-economic situation in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 23, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City informed about the ranking of relics in the area. The Department also presented the current difficulties of some works and locations in the ranking of relics.

Ho Chi Minh City has many constructions and locations that have difficulty in ranking as relics, typically the group of urban architectural works in the central area, with "golden" locations.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

Ho Chi Minh City has 231 constructions and locations that have not been classified as relics.

According to information from the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, up to now, Ho Chi Minh City has a total of 321 ranked relics , including 4 special national relics , 99 national relics and 218 city-level relics . These relics are distributed in 3 areas (according to the provisions of the Heritage Law), spread throughout the city.

Specifically, area 1 has 207 relics (including 2 special national relics, 58 national relics and 147 city-level relics); area 2 has 66 relics (13 national relics and 53 provincial-level relics); area 3 has 48 relics (2 special national relics, 28 national relics and 18 provincial-level relics).

In addition, in the current inventory of relics, there are 231 unclassified works and locations in Ho Chi Minh City. Area 1 alone (according to Decision No. 1156/QD-UBND dated August 30, 2025) has 140 works, of which 7 have been ranked, the remaining 133 works and locations have not been ranked. Area 3 (according to Decision No. 3508/QD-UBND dated December 26, 2024) has 141 works, of which 48 have been ranked, the remaining 98 have not been ranked. The inventory and approval of the list for Area 2 is expected to be carried out and announced in 2026.

Many difficulties in the work of ranking relics

According to the representative of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, some constructions and locations are facing difficulties in ranking as relics. The group of urban architectural works located in the city center, with "golden" locations, under the management of central agencies, with high commercial value, are difficult to preserve due to the pressure of urban development.

Religious buildings such as churches, pagodas... have specific characteristics in terms of ownership and management, and the fear that ranking them as relics will make it difficult to unify the scope of protected areas; and legal procedures for repair, renovation or construction.

The group of historical relics, because witnesses of the resistance war against France and the US are now old, many of them are no longer alive or have limited memory; original documents, materials, and artifacts have been lost over time and war, making it difficult to verify the source of documents and supplement scientific records to serve the ranking of relics.

Notre Dame Cathedral and Ho Chi Minh City Post Office are two famous architectural works in Ho Chi Minh City.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

For units that are difficult to approach or do not agree to the ranking of relics, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City said that it has implemented many solutions. In particular, the Department organizes working sessions, exchanges, listens to the opinions of relevant organizations and individuals; issues propaganda, mobilization and persuasion documents to raise awareness of the meaning and value of heritage conservation. At the same time, the Department also coordinates with scientists, press and media agencies to create social consensus and dissemination. For historical relics, the Department organizes scientific seminars and discussions to supplement, recognize and affirm the historical, cultural and scientific values ​​of works and locations.

An Khanh communal house is one of the constructions ranked as city-level relics in 2025.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City also creates conditions for owners and investors to renovate and embellish relics in a harmonious direction between conservation and development, ensuring compliance with current planning and laws.

For non-state-owned relics, in addition to enjoying the subsidy regime according to Decision No. 30/2011/QD-UBND dated May 19, 2011 of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (the general spending level for each historical - cultural relic that has been ranked, and those who do not receive salaries from the state budget is 2 times the minimum wage/month), the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports is researching and proposing new mechanisms and policies to increase support for relic conservation work, such as allocating budget capital for restoration and renovation activities and establishing a Cultural Heritage Conservation Fund to promptly support degraded relics.

14 relics in Ho Chi Minh City to be ranked in 2025

In 2025, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City advised the City People's Committee to issue 14 decisions to rank city-level relics, including: Tan Dinh Market; An Khanh Communal House; Long Binh Communal House; Saigon University; Long Hoa Communal House; Mariamman Temple; Trung Vuong High School; Base of Cho Lon Provincial Party Committee, Saigon - Cho Lon City Party Committee at Vuon Thom; Truong family temple and tomb of Mr. and Mrs. Truong Minh Thanh; Tan Phuoc Communal House; Phu An Communal House; Go Queo Ancient Tomb Park; Red Areca Garden Memorial Area and Ten Lo Man High School (Ernst Thälmann).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhieu-cong-trinh-kien-truc-do-thi-co-vi-tri-vang-chua-the-xep-hang-di-tich-185251023162201974.htm