Speaking at the event, Lê Trí Thanh, Vice Chairman of Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee, recalled that Thanh Chiem Palace was built in 1602 by Nguyen Hoang (1525–1613), the first of the Nguyen Lords, in Thanh Chiem commune (now Dien Phuong commune, Dien Ban district).

The Palace is considered as the second major capital of the Nguyen Lords, after Phu Xuan palace. It also served as a political, military, economic and cultural centre, where princes were trained in how to rule the country after they were selected to be the heir.

Throughout its 230 years of existence from 1602 to 1832, the Palace established a certain historical role. From 1615, the Palace welcomed many Western missionaries, who co-ordinated with the local Vietnamese people to create the modern writing system of the Vietnamese language. It also hosted the first school specializing in the teaching of Vietnamese script.

The site was recognized as a provincial relic in 2008.

According to Nông Quốc Thành, Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the recognition for Thanh Chiem Palace aims to show appreciation for the ancestors who made significant contributions to the national construction and defence.

He asked the local authorities and people to put forward measures to safeguard and promote the heritage’s values and make it a tourist attraction for visitors to the locality.