Vietnam Hue – Situated in the middle of the country, lies Kinh thành, the former imperial citadel of Hue, facing the Perfume River.
Constructions for this site started in 1804 after Gia Long (a.k.a. Nguyễn Ánh) ascended the throne in 1789 and chose Hue, the ancestral seat of his family, as the new capital of the newly unified country; and completed in 1832, twenty-eight years later. It’s a UNESCO heritage site, hosting an array of architectural collections.
Surrounded by a moat, the walls of the Imperial Citadel run about 10km long with 2m thick ramparts. Inside the citadel, there’s a pathway that goes around the premises, taking you to the Imperial City, the Forbidden Purple City, the Royal Library, multiple temples, gardens and courtyards.
The Imperial Citadel has many sections within, surrounded by their own walls and accessible through various beautifully designed gates. The Forbidden Purple City, for example, was only accessible to the emperor. The city is also surrounded by a moat, which can be entered through the moon gate. Only the empress, Mother Queens, concubines and eunuchs were allowed in to keep the emperor company.
Another residence in this citadel is the Dien Tho Residence where Queen Mothers of the Nguyen Dynasty stayed. There’s also the Thai Hoa Palace, where the throne of the Nguyen emperors is. It was a place for coronations, Royal birthdays, receptions of ambassadors and other solemn events.
Aside from residencies, many temples were constructed as well as many pavilions to honor ancestors. The Mieu Temple is the most well-known, holding altars in honor of past emperors. The Nine Dynastic Urns Hien Lam Pavilion is recognized for the nine urns in the courtyard that memorialize nine previous emperors. When entering a temple, remember to take off shoes and cameras as a sign of respect. Usually there will be signs posted at the entrances.
Many sections and buildings were damaged in the 1940s and again in the 60s. You can see damaged walls and empty grounds where buildings used to stand.
However, there’s current restoration efforts to reestablish the citadel. Even with some sections under constructions, you could easily spend a whole day here, resting at the few cafes and visitor centers within the complex.
The Imperial Citadel is the main attraction in Hue. You can easily walk from the center of town, across the Perfume River to the citadel. You can buy tickets on sight with entrance tickets costing 150,000VND plus the option of doing a guided tour and purchasing package deals to other tour sights.
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