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HUE
Hue today is the provincial capital of Thua Thien. In 1993, Hue has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Served as Vietnam's capital under the emperors of Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945 and thus contains many elegant architectural relics of the past, Hue is considered to be the most beautiful city in Viet Nam. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam's cultural, religious and educational centers.
A long time ago, the city was called Phu Xuan. In 1744, Phu Xuan became the capital of the southern part of Vietnam, which was under the rule of the Nguyen Lords. Later, it was renamed Hue by Nguyen Anh who crowned himself Emperor Gia Long, thus founding the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled the country, at least in name, until 1945. Immediately upon his accession, Gia Long began the decades-long construction of the Citadel.
Hue is bisected by the Perfume River (Huong Giang). Inside the Citadel, which is on the left bank of the river, is the Imperial Enclosure, which surrounds the Forbidden Purple City, former residence of the royal family. Dong Ba Market is near the eastern corner of the Citadel. Nearby, a commercial district stretches along the Dong Ba Canal. Across the Dong Ba Canal from Dong Ba Market are the sub-districts of Phu Cat and Phu Hiep, known for their Chinese Pagodas. On the right bank of the Perfume River is the New City, once known as the European Quarter. The Imperial Tombs are spread out over a large area to the south of the New City.
A cycling tour around the 'Imperial City' and a cruise on the Perfume river in a dragon boat will help to make your visit to Hue an unforgettable experience.
The Citadel
The Citadel consists of three cinctures, the moated Citadel (Kinh Thanh), the Imperial Enclosure (Hoang Thanh) and the Forbidden City (Cam Thanh). Constructed in 1805 by Emperor Gia Long, the big outer wall is 6 meters high, 11 kilometers long, with 11 gates and 24 watch-towers. This royal city is surrounded by some protective walls. Three sides of the Citadel are straight, the forth is rounded slightly to follow the curve of the river. The citadel suffered from big damages due to fire in 1945 and war bombardments.
The places of interest inside the Citadel are the flag tower, Ngo Mon Gate (The Noontime Gate), the Courtyard for royal ceremonies, the palace of supreme peace, halls of the mandarins, the memorial temple for Nguyen Kings, nine holy cannons, nine dynastic urns and the Forbidden City for the royal families.
King MinhMang’s Tomb
The construction was planed during the king’s lifetime and built between 1841 and 1843 by his successor. The palace, the pavilion, the entrances are harmoniously built around two big lakes that make these more luxurious and peaceful.
The three gates lead into the Honour Courtyard of the Tomb, Dai Hong Mon (Great Red Gate), Ta Hong Mon (Left Red Gate), Huu Hong Mon (Right Red Gate). From the Courtyard there are three granite staircases which are reached via the square Stele Pavilion, Dinh Vuong. The solemn emperor’s burial place is situated on a mound of earth covered with mature pine trees, behind Sung An Temple, some terraces and stone bridges.
King TuDuc’s Tomb
The King had designed himself this exquisite tomb and constructed it when he was still on the throne in 1848. The tomb was based on two axes, one for the mausoleum, and the other for the palace, 7 km far from the city, surrounded by a solid octagonal brick wall. It comprises an important number of buildings, temples, man-made ponds full of nenuphars and lotuses, crossed by various bridges and covered by frangipanis. This is one of the most romantic and splendid masterpieces. The king used this as the palace for working and relaxation when he was alive.
TuDuc’s sepulchre enclosed by wall is on a side of the Half Moon Lake. In fact, Tu Duc was never actually interred here. The place where he was buried has not been known yet. In order to keep the location secret, 200 servants who buried the King was all beheaded.
King KhaiDinh’s Tomb
The ornate tomb of Khai Dinh, who ruled the country from 1916 to 1925, is perhaps a symptom of the decline of Vietnamese culture during the colonial period. Khai Dinh - the twelfth king of the Nguyen dynasty - is the father of King Bao Dai, the last emperor of Viet Nam.
The tomb's construction started in 1920 and completed in 1931. It is unlike Hue’s other tombs. The combination of Asian and European Architecture and decoration marks the king’s special interest in European civilization. The multi-colored ceramics inlaid style makes his mausoleum gracious and magnificent.
The Thien Mu Pagoda
This Buddhist monastery was erected in 1601 by Lord Nguyen Hoang, the ancestor of the Nguyen dynasty. It was renovated in 1844 under King ThieuTri’s sovereignty. Legends said that one night people found an old lady sitting on this small hill, wearing a red long dress and green trousers and she claimed that this place belonged to the supernatural power, so a pagoda should be constructed here. After saying that, the lady disappeared in the cloud. Since then it was called the pagoda of the old celestial goddess.
