A Pre-French Nguyen Dynasty Fort in Vung Tau:
an imaginative construct.
an imaginative construct.
A collaborative project between Paul Rowe and An Pham
There once was a pre-French Nguyen dynasty fort on present-day Vung Tau island.
Phước Thắng fortress was circular and positioned part way up the southern end of Big Mountain. In one direction it overlooked a coconut lined bay (present-day Front Beach), and in the other direction, Ganh Rai Bay. The fort guarded the mouth of the river (present-day Saigon River), gateway to the trading port of Ben Nghi/Gia Dinh (present-day Ho Chi Minh city).
Phước Thắng fortress was circular and positioned part way up the southern end of Big Mountain. In one direction it overlooked a coconut lined bay (present-day Front Beach), and in the other direction, Ganh Rai Bay. The fort guarded the mouth of the river (present-day Saigon River), gateway to the trading port of Ben Nghi/Gia Dinh (present-day Ho Chi Minh city).
In 1859 Vung Tau’s fort was the focal point of the Battle of Front Beach.
It was during Tet Festival season, and the Nguyen dynasty soldiers had been given leave to visit their families in their respective districts. (Back then Tet could be a month or more.) The Vung Tau fort was manned only by a skeleton crew and Vung Tau residents.
A fleet of French and Spanish warships was on its way to overthrow Ben Nghi/Gia Dinh.
On the 10th February Vung Tau’s fortress opened fire on the passing enemy fleet.
The Battle of Front Beach was Vietnam’s first use of cannons against the French colonizers.
At the time of the Battle of Front Beach,
Phước Thắng fortress belonged to the fourth Nguyen dynasty Emperor, Tu Duc.
It was during Tet Festival season, and the Nguyen dynasty soldiers had been given leave to visit their families in their respective districts. (Back then Tet could be a month or more.) The Vung Tau fort was manned only by a skeleton crew and Vung Tau residents.
A fleet of French and Spanish warships was on its way to overthrow Ben Nghi/Gia Dinh.
On the 10th February Vung Tau’s fortress opened fire on the passing enemy fleet.
The Battle of Front Beach was Vietnam’s first use of cannons against the French colonizers.
At the time of the Battle of Front Beach,
Phước Thắng fortress belonged to the fourth Nguyen dynasty Emperor, Tu Duc.
In circa 1898 the Nguyen dynasty fort was removed by the French colonizers,
and a villa for Paul Doumer, the Governor General of Indochina,
was constructed on the old circular foundations.
and a villa for Paul Doumer, the Governor General of Indochina,
was constructed on the old circular foundations.
**
An and I want to digitally reconstruct Vung Tau's very own historic, round fortress.
Problem:
An and I do NOT have the fort’s construction plans to work from.
Answers:
1. We do have Google Earth data regarding the exact placement and size of the Vung Tau fort.
2. We do have Google Earth data and other research materials from the ruins of another circular Nguyen dynasty fort near Hue - the Trấn Hải Thành fortress.
Deduction:
We should have enough data for a fairly accurate reproduction of the original Vung Tau fort.
Let’s see.
Problem:
An and I do NOT have the fort’s construction plans to work from.
Answers:
1. We do have Google Earth data regarding the exact placement and size of the Vung Tau fort.
2. We do have Google Earth data and other research materials from the ruins of another circular Nguyen dynasty fort near Hue - the Trấn Hải Thành fortress.
Deduction:
We should have enough data for a fairly accurate reproduction of the original Vung Tau fort.
Let’s see.
** As with everything on my history website,
if you have ideas (and building plans!!!) on improving this project,
please let me know.**
This article is a WORK in PROGRESS.
if you have ideas (and building plans!!!) on improving this project,
please let me know.**
This article is a WORK in PROGRESS.
Phước Thắng fortress: the reconstruction
Dimensions of both Nguyen dynasty forts:
Foundation measurements of Phước Thắng fortress - Vung Tau island, Vietnam (Google Earth)
Wall measurements of Trấn Hải Thành fortress - on the coast near Hue, Vietnam (Google Earth)
Even with this simple measuring exercise, we have learned some exciting facts.
- The Nguyen fortress near Hue was nearly twice the size of Vung Tau's Nguyen fort.
- Both circular fortresses guarded the mouth of strategically important rivers.
The Trấn Hải Thành fortress: protected the royal city of Hue, by guarding the mouth of the Perfume River.
Both Hue and Gia Dinh cities have been royal cities for the Nguyens. However, Hue has always been the preferred royal city. It makes sense that the Hue fortress would have been bigger and stronger.
Or, it is bigger because the land at the mouth of the Perfume River is flat. The Vung Tau fortress was built on a man made cutting up a mountain.
Both Hue and Gia Dinh cities have been royal cities for the Nguyens. However, Hue has always been the preferred royal city. It makes sense that the Hue fortress would have been bigger and stronger.
Or, it is bigger because the land at the mouth of the Perfume River is flat. The Vung Tau fortress was built on a man made cutting up a mountain.
The Phước Thắng fortress: protected Gia Dinh/Ben Nghi trading port by guarding the mouth of today's Saigon River.
WORK IN PROGRESS
The fort near Hue is still in tact (or partially).
From that fort we can construct the Front and Side Elevations.
It might also give us an idea of what was inside the fort.
An and I will keep you up to date on the project.
Can you help?
Do you know anything about either fort?
Thanks.
**
The fort near Hue is still in tact (or partially).
From that fort we can construct the Front and Side Elevations.
It might also give us an idea of what was inside the fort.
An and I will keep you up to date on the project.
Can you help?
Do you know anything about either fort?
Thanks.
**
VIETNAM HISTORY and CULTURE
and other good stuff.
Post by Paul Rowe 05/2020 HCMC, Vietnam.
and other good stuff.
Post by Paul Rowe 05/2020 HCMC, Vietnam.