Why Poland’s Prime Minister chose Hoi An as his first stop in Vietnam

Landing in Da Nang on the evening of October 23, the Prime Minister strolled through the ancient streets, enjoyed traditional bai choi folk performances, and laid a wreath at the monument of late Polish architect Kazimierz Kwiatkowski (1944-1997).

This meaningful gesture served as a tribute to the man whose selfless dedication helped preserve Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary, and Hue Complex of Monuments for future generations.

Kazik: Polish architect dedicated to preserving Hoi An's heritage

The wreath-laying ceremony was attended by leaders of the Da Nang People’s Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and local heritage management agencies.

Located at 138 Tran Phu Street, in the heart of Hoi An Ancient Town, the monument commemorates the foreign expert's significant contributions to heritage conservation in Da Nang.

According to the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre, Kazimierz Kwiatkowski, warmly known as Kazik, first visited Hoi An in July 1982 while working on the conservation and restoration of monuments at My Son Sanctuary.

At the time, Hoi An remained an impoverished town in the aftermath of the war. Many old houses had fallen into disrepair, its streets were quiet, and tourism had yet to develop.

However, during his survey, Kazik quickly recognised the exceptional value of the town’s historic architecture.

Impressed by the historical features preserved in its old houses and buildings, he told local officials that Hoi An possessed a heritage treasure.

Following the visit, Kazik volunteered to spend his weekends, outside his working hours at My Son, surveying, measuring and studying Hoi An’s architecture without payment.

From late 1982 to 1984, the architect worked with architects from the Central Institute for Monument Conservation to survey buildings, map the area and draw plans of Hoi An’s ancient town, while helping local officials compile scientific documentation.

With technical resources scarce, much of the work was carried out manually. The survey materials played a vital role in completing the dossier to have Hoi An Ancient Town recognised as a national heritage site.

Kazik once shared that Hoi An gave him a sense of professional pride and held a special place in his heart because of the sincerity and hospitality of its residents.

Putting Hoi An and My Son on the world heritage map

In March 1985, Hoi An Ancient Town was recognised as a national historical and cultural site, marking a significant milestone in heritage conservation.

Kazik also actively encouraged researchers and relevant institutions to organise a scientific conference on Hoi An’s ancient town in July 1985.

The conference brought together 268 participants, including 203 scientists from 40 institutions, research institutes and universities. Kazik presented a paper assessing the architectural value of Hoi An’s historic buildings.

Beyond conducting research and preparing conservation dossiers, he also recognised Hoi An’s potential for tourism development at an early stage.

He believed the old houses held not only architectural value but also the potential to offer visitors distinctive cultural experiences.

With this in mind, he developed a plan to adapt the house at 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street into a small hotel, aiming to combine tourism with revenue generation to fund monument conservation.

Kazik also wrote articles and took photographs of Hoi An Ancient Town for publications in Poland and France, helping introduce the historic town’s value to international audiences.

Alongside his work in Hoi An, he continued to contribute to the conservation and restoration of monuments at My Son Sanctuary.

In the 1990s, despite growing difficulties in returning to Vietnam, Kazik sought financial support from benefactors in Germany to fund the restoration of monuments at My Son.

Poland has long been among the countries involved in cooperation programmes, expert exchanges and funding for restoration projects at My Son Sanctuary.