Ban Phu Citadel is an attractive destination and must-see place for tourists in Vietnam travel. Located in Noong Het village, Dien Bien district, about 9 km from the West of Dien Bien Phu city, the citadel was built in the 15th century. It was located at the south of Muong Thanh paddy field with its precinct of more than ten hectares. The structure of this citadel included two systems of defence works which were more than three kilometers and higher than the people. The citadel's base was surrounded with dense bamboos and a deep moat outside. Noong Het Ward today used to be the centre of the citadel in the past.
Ban Phu Citadel is now restored at a section of the long wall in order to create the travellers' imagination about the magnificent ancient citadel in the old days. In the 18th century, Phe warriors (from China) came and conquered Ban Phu citadel. Hoang Cong Chat then was assigned to liberate Muong Thanh region. He quickly got back the citadel and then liberated Dien Bien in May 1975, exactly 200 years before Ho Chi Minh's soldiers brought freedom to Dien Bien in 1954. After Hoang Cong Chat passed away, local residents established a temple to remind about his merits. This temple is now located in the citadel, under the great leaf canopy of the "doan ket" (collaborating) tree, i.e. the snowbell winding the banyan tree. It is 12 kiloemtres far from Dien Bien Phu City to the south-western. Ban Phu Citadel and Hoang Cong Chat Temple are currently very attracting destinations in Dien Bien for tourists in Vietnam travel.
