Bureaucratic wrangling allows serious deterioration to a 15th century gate complex in Hué, Vietnam

In my view Hué is not to be missed by anyone considering a visit to Vietnam. Established as the unified country's capital in 1802, Hué boasts an incredible array of sights, ranging from citadels to pagodas. It is also striking to see the scars of battle within the complex dating from the American War in the late 1960s. 

While the Vietnamese authorities are clearly committed to the preservation and restoration of the Hué complex, which was inscribed as a world heritage site in 1993, the challenges are undoubtedly daunting given its size and the poor state of repair of many of the structures. However, Viet Nam News reported this week (October 3, 2015) that bureaucratic wrangling between the provincial authorities of Da Nang and Thua Thie-Hue has allowed serious deterioration of the 15th century Hai Van gate complex, which straddles the two jurisdictions, and lies just outside the area formally recognized as a world heritage site. 

While discussions are ongoing, UNESCO has reportedly suggested a neat solution that could clarify the status of the gate complex: propose the enlargement of the world heritage site to encompass the gate and surrounding area. Such a proposal, if made, could be considered by UNESCO as early as 2017.