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Hue |
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Being Vietnam’s feudal capital from 1802
to 1945 under the Nguyen dynasty, Hue is
widely known for the magnificent
architecture of its citadels, palaces,
royal tombs, pagodas and temples set in
a poetic background of greenery on the
banks of the Perfume River...
Being Vietnam’s feudal capital from 1802
to 1945 under the Nguyen dynasty, Hue is
widely known for the magnificent
architecture of its citadels, palaces,
royal tombs, pagodas and temples set in
a poetic background of greenery on the
banks of the Perfume River. All are laid
out in harmony with nature and in
accordance with the principles of
geomancy (feng shui). Besides monuments,
Hue still retains much of its past glory
in daily routines and activities in
religion, gastronomy, handicraft, music,
the performing arts and traditional
festivals. With those vestiges and
cultural treasures, Hue became Vietnam’s
first World Cultural Heritage site
recognized by UNESCO in 1993.
Imperial citadel
The construction of the mooted citadel,
which has a 9,950m-long perimeter, was
begun in 1805 on the northern bank of
the Perfume River by King Gia Long. The
Citadel was originally made of earth,
but between 1818 and 1832 it was paved
with a 2m-thick layer of bricks in the
style of the French architect Vauban.
The King’s official functions were
carried out in the Imperial Enclosure, a
citadel-within-a-citadel with a
perimeter of 2,450m. The Imperial
Enclosure has 4 gates, the most famous
of which is Ngo Mon Gate (or Southern
Gate) used as the main entrance. Within
the Imperial Enclosure is the Forbidden
Purple City, which used to be the living
quarters of the King. With more than 100
buildings such palaces, temples,
fortresses, etc., the Citadel is the
most interesting place to visit in Hue.
Museum of Royal Relics
The beautiful hall that houses the
Museum of Royal Relics was built in 1845
and restored when the museum was founded
in 1923. This is a precious wooden
construction of Hue’s unique palace
architectonics. The house was built
after “trung thiem diep oc” model
(sloping successive roofs) with 128
pillars. The first sight catching
visitors’ eyes is the walls inscribed
with 1,000 poems written in chu nom –
Vietnamese script. Most of the exhibits
displayed here bear characteristics left
by the last Vietnamese feudal dynasty.
Here visitors can find the everyday
utensils (such as clothing, sedans,
gongs, etc.) of the King and the royal
family and other aesthetics decorative
works in the palaces of Hue. The museum
is located at 3 Le Truc St. and open
daily from 6.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Royal tombs
There are eight royal tombs in Hue that
are the final resting places of the
Nguyen kings. Among them, Tu Duc Tomb,
Khai Dinh Tomb and Minh Mang Tomb are
often visited. The construction of each
tomb was very meticulous and usually
started while the reigning king was
still alive. Most of the tombs face the
south-west, the direction of the
Imperial City. Although all are unique
in structure and design, most of them
consist of two compounds. The first is
reserved for funeral services and the
second is the tomb proper. Generally,
each tomb is enclosed by a surrounding
rampart. However, the internal
configuration of each tomb is different,
since these particular arrangements
reflected the tastes and personality of
the monarch. The tombs are open from
6.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily (from 7
a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter).
King Tu Duc's Tomb
7km far from Hue city, King Tu Duc’s
Tomb is surrounded by a brick wall. Tu
Duc was the fourth king of Nguyen
Dynasty. He had his tomb constructed in
1848 when he was still on the throne.
The tomb was built according to the plan
based on two axes: one for the mausoleum
and another for the palace. The tomb
comprises of an important number of
buildings, man-made ponds full of
nenuphars and lotuses, crossed by
various bridges and covered by
frangipanniers. This is one of the most
romantic and splendid masterpieces.
King Khai Dinh's Tomb
Khai Dinh is the twelfth king of Nguyen
Dynasty and he is also the father of
King Bao Dai, the last king of Vietnam.
The construction of the tomb started
from 1920 to 1931. The conception of its
architecture and decoration got the
European influence. The multi-colored
ceramic inlaid style makes his mausoleum
gracious and magnificent.
King Minh Mang's Tomb
12km far from Hue city, King Ming Mang’s
Tomb is located on the left branch of
the Perfume river. The tomb was built as
the plan drawn out by the king himself
and the middle of the pine forest. The
construction started in 1841 after the
king's death. The palace, the pavilions
and the entrances are harmoniously built
around two big lakes that make these
more luxurious and peaceful.
Dong Ba Market
Located on the southeastern corner of
Hue Citadel, Dong Ba market has been one
of the most famous commercial centers in
Vietnam for more than 100 years. Built
in 1899 and then destroyed in 1968, the
market was rebuilt on an area of 5 ha in
1986. Up to now, all the typical
features of a traditional Vietnamese
market are still there such as the
sampan landing, the bus station and the
bazaars. Dong Ba market is a paradise
for snapshots of daily activities as
well as for shopping with everything
from souvenir items to bronze goods, Hue
sesame sweetmeat, conical poem hats,
etc.
Thien Mu Pagoda
Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as Linh Mu
Pagoda, was originally founded in 1601
by Lord Nguyen Hoang. This pagoda, built
on a hillock overlooking the Perfume
River, is one of the most famous
architectural structures in Vietnam. The
most striking feature of the pagoda is
the 21m-high octagonal tower, the
seven-storey Phuoc Duyen Tower. The
tower was built by King Thieu Tri in
1844 and has become the unofficial
symbol of Hue. Lying on Ha Khe Hill, 7km
from Hue, the pagoda can be reached
either by car or by boat. Visitors often
come here late in the afternoon in order
to enjoy sunset on the Perfume River and
to attend the daily prayer service at 5
p.m.
Garden houses
Hue owes its beauty not only to the
Perfume River, Mount Ngu Binh and royal
mausoleums but also to garden houses.
This kind of house is a prominent
feature of Hue. Each garden house has an
area of about 2,000m2. In front of the
house, there is always a tile-covered
gate. Around the house is a garden with
all kinds of fruit and flowers. The
highlight in a garden house is a small
rock-garden which is an artificial wood
and mountain made of rock, water and
plants. The house and the garden, the
people and the landscape, etc. all blend
harmoniously in a colorful atmosphere.
All shows the love for nature of the
owners, which is one of Hue people’s
characteristics. Visitors can visit some
garden houses such as Lac Tinh Vien (65
Phan Dinh Phung St.), Princess Ngoc Son
(29 Nguyen Chi Thanh St.), Y Thao (3
Thach Han), etc.
Perfume River
A visit to Hue would not be complete
without a boat excursion on the Perfume
River (Song Huong). This 100km-long
river owes its name to the fact that it
flows through many forests of aromatic
plants before reaching Hue, bringing
with it fragrances of tropical flora. A
boat cruise will offer visitors a
general view of the daily life of Hue
people. When night falls, the surface of
the river glistens under the moonlight
and the folk melodies of Hue make the
lovely river even more poetic and
musical. It is said that Hue is peaceful
and tranquil mostly thanks to the
Perfume River.
Hai Van Pass
In Vietnamese, Hai Van Pass means the
pass of ocean clouds. It is located on
Highway 1 between Danang and Hue. One
can see a spectacular stretch of scenery
here where mountains seem to fall into
the sea. In the past, Hai Van Pass has
been the site of a historic seesaw
struggle between several nations in the
region (Kingdoms of Champa, Vietnam,
Laos, etc.).
Bach Ma National Park
Just 45km south of Hue, Bach Ma National
Park is home to old French hill station.
Established in mid 1998, the park covers
a rolling mountainous area of 22,030 ha.
The forest, in addition to its
indigenous flora, also has various
species of plant originating in both the
north and the south. Visitors can find
exciting trekking routes and romantic
hotels in this area.
Luxury
Hotels in Hue |
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