Tim Curtis, head of UNESCO Culture Unit in Bangkok, said the Tang’s family chapel has been well-preserved by craftsmen who know traditional construction methods.

The restoration project, which cost more than VND537 million (US$30,000) including 60 percent drawn from the town budget, has made minimum interventions to the house, showing respect to historical materials inside it, Curtis said.

As a typical tube house in the ancient town, the Tang ancestral temple was built in the 19th century over around 500 square meters, comprising two compartments and three lean-tos, roofed with double tiles.

A total of 48 conservation project entries from 14 countries in the region were submitted to the 2009 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation.

The Sangiin Dalai Monastery from the Republic of Mongolia was granted the Award of Excellence.

The Tang chapel was among four projects that received Honorable Mentions. Three Awards of Distinction and four Awards of Merits were also announced early this month.

“The restoration of the Tang Family Chapel demonstrates the commendable commitment of private individuals to cooperate with local authorities in the conservation of a World Heritage property,” UNESCO said on its website.

“The project has employed a minimum intervention approach that emphasizes respect for the historic building materials and finishes. The newly-refurbished chapel now stands out as a living landmark in the heritage town, serving clan members, the local population and visitors.”

Tong Quoc Hung, a preservation expert in Hoi An, said the chapel is one of the typical wooden houses in the ancient town that was preserved rather successfully.

The house is now leased for selling paintings, cloth and souvenirs. Sightseeing and taking photos are permitted by all visitors.

When the UNESCO Heritage Conservation Award was first introduced in 2000, Vietnam received the Excellent Project prize, which stands only after the Most Excellent Project prize in the Award of Excellence category, for efforts to preserve Hoi An Town.

In 2004, the country received an Award of Merit for restoring six ancient houses across the country.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation has been established to recognize the achievement of individuals and organizations within the private sector, and the public-private initiatives, in successfully restoring structures of heritage value in the region.

Source: Tuoi Tre