Pilgrimage to Truong Bon red address

Gratitude and Remembrance

In the morning of mid-October, a special group of visitors appeared at Truong Bon Historical Site. They were former Youth Volunteers from the old companies who had participated in clearing mines, transporting food and weapons, digging and clearing roads… on the Truong Bon battlefield.

Stepping out of the boundary between life and death, quietly blending into a simple everyday life, and now, half a century has passed, they have made an appointment to return to the old battlefield, to visit their comrades who have forever fallen in the soil of their homeland.

Former Youth Volunteers were moved by the common grave of their comrades. Photo: Huy Thu

In front of the common grave of 13 heroic martyrs, the former Youth Volunteers with gray hair, their hands marked by time, trembled as they quickly wiped away their tears. They remembered each name, each face of the 13 martyrs, with so many dreams, ambitions, aspirations..., sharing a letter from home, a warm coat, a bunch of soapberries, a piece of mirror... and even the last moment of their lives! "I'm going to school soon, sisters, just tomorrow!", "I'm not getting married, I'm staying with you guys..." - the emotional voiceover echoed amidst the sobs of longing.

Every day, hundreds of visitors come to offer incense and flowers at Truong Bon Historical Relic Site. Photo: Huy Thu

Many tourists from all over the world and foreign tourists have come to Truong Bon these days, amazed by the miraculous revival, by the majestic and sacred memorial space of a source tourism destination. Mr. Chu Vinh Hiep - Director of Truong Bon Historical Relic Management Board said that on average, the relic site welcomes about 8 groups with 450 visitors each day.

From 2014 to June 2018, the relic site has hosted and served nearly 12,492 delegations, with 462,832 delegates and 182,000 visitors coming to visit and pay tribute to the heroic martyrs. The number of delegations and visitors coming to Truong Bon to visit and pay tribute to the heroic martyrs increases every year.

Panoramic view of Truong Bon Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Mr. Chu Vinh Hiep also shared that Truong Bon historical relic is not only a sacred destination, a place to commemorate and pay tribute to the indomitable examples in the long-term resistance war to protect the Fatherland, but more than that, it is also a red address to educate revolutionary traditions for all generations.

With that value, the biggest concern of those who manage this place is how to make Truong Bon an indispensable cultural and tourist destination on the journey of every tourist when coming to Nghe An, to the Central region; at the same time, when coming to the relic, tourists will have unforgettable emotions, historical lessons and experiences.

Innovation in activities, attractive pilgrimage tours

In recent times, the Truong Bon Historical Site Management Board has made efforts to organize many activities, closely following the needs of the people and tourists on the basis of respecting the sacred value of a spiritual address.

In addition to offering incense and flowers to commemorate the martyrs, when coming to Truong Bon, people and tourists can also watch the most vivid documentary films about this heroic battlefield through images, electronic models...; visit the monument symbolizing the heroic sacrifice of 1,240 martyrs on the legendary route; the souvenir display and sales area with practical and meaningful items, meeting shopping needs...

“We regularly coordinate to organize new member admission ceremonies, extracurricular history lessons, activities to return to the source, and visit old battlefields… Young couples who wish to come to offer flowers and incense before their wedding ceremony, or take photos in the green space of the relic site… are also actively supported” - said the Director of Truong Bon Historical Relic Site.

Tourists visit Truong Bon historical site. Photo: Phuoc Anh

To facilitate visitors, for many years now, the management board has operated the website truongbon.vn, updating and posting all information and images of Truong Bon past and present; at the same time, it has published “hotline” phone numbers for the convenience of groups of visitors from far away to contact. In addition, the 24/24h duty regime is maintained regularly, ensuring that at any time visitors arrive, there are staff to welcome them.

In particular, recently, the relic management board has organized 2 seminars and talks with the theme "Promoting the value of Truong Bon National Historical Relic". These events were attended by leaders of the Department of Culture and Tourism and many travel businesses in the province.

At the event, tourism businesses affirmed that Truong Bon has a prominent advantage compared to many other spiritual destinations, which is located on the main road 15A, with convenient traffic to the North and South. The relic complex has also been invested in grandly, the ecological campus is beautifully designed, suitable for organizing large groups of visitors. From that advantage, travel agencies have discussed and determined a number of tours and basic routes connecting Truong Bon with other tourist destinations according to intra-provincial tours and pilgrimage tours to the Central region...

Truong Bon Historical Relic Site is included in the Central Vietnam pilgrimage tours of many travel agencies.

With the advantage of geographical location and special attraction from spiritual values, tourism businesses in Nghe An have put a lot of faith in the development of Truong Bon Historical Relic Site. However, in order for the goals to soon become reality, some issues of propaganda and promotion need to be further promoted; at the same time, the management board also needs to strengthen the collection and supplement of documents, artifacts, and materials; attract local people to participate in activities serving visitors; arrange and rearrange services and display areas, sell souvenirs with regional characteristics...; constantly improve the quality of service to satisfy all visitors.

Truong Bon Historical Relic Site is built on an area of ​​217,327 m²with 21 main items; is a project invested, donated, supported for construction and renovation by Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Ministry of Transport, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and many agencies, units, collectives, individuals at home and abroad. Implemented in October 2012, the project has been basically completed and handed over the main items.