Thai Hoa Palace, part of the UNESCO-recognized Hue Imperial Citadel, has been badly deteriorating. 

The Thai Hoa Palace was built in 1805 during the reign of King Gia Long, the first ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), Vietnam's last royal family. It used to be the venue for political discussions, coronation ceremonies and the king's birthday celebrations.

Covering an area of 1,360 square meters, it is supported by 80 ironwood pillars decorated with dragons symbolizing the power of the Nguyen Dynasty. The front and main halls of the palace are connected by a system of arched ceilings, which gives a crab shell-like appearance.

The kings’ throne is in the middle of the palace, and is a unique historical and cultural artifact. Above it is a gold-plated roof with a sophisticated dragon carving. In 2016 the throne was designated a national treasure.

After more than 200 years and many restorations, Thai Hoa Palace retains its majesty. However, the harsh weather in Hue has taken its toll with many wooden structures having rotted and roof tiles being damaged.

For years the Center for Conservation of Hue Monuments, which manages the Hue Imperial Citadel and other Nguyen Dynasty relics, has had to use metal bars to prop up parts of the structure to prevent them from collapsing.

A rotted ironwood pillar is displayed inside the palace.

A storm last year severely damaged part of the palace’s roof, and the center put up a temporary corrugated roof.

The dragon on the palace's roof is temporarily supported by metal bars.

The center has submitted a VND150-billion ($6.53 million) proposal to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to renovate the palace.

The ministry recently permitted the center to carry out excavations inside the palace to assess its foundation and brick system. The work will start on June 5.