The Imperial City of Hue

Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty from the early nineteenth century, and its vast walled Citadel on the Perfume River, a UNESCO site, holds the ruins and restored halls of the Imperial City, modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City. Battered by war, its moated palaces, ornate gates, temples and pavilions, together with the grand royal tombs scattered in the countryside beyond, evoke the faded grandeur of Vietnam's last emperors.

History

Huế, then called Phú Xuân, was the seat of the Nguyễn lords of the south, whose palaces stood at Kim Long from 1635 to 1687 and later at Phú Xuân, and the Tây Sơn emperor Quang Trung also made it his capital in 1789. In June 1802 Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, having defeated the Tây Sơn, became Emperor Gia Long of a united Vietnam and, consulting geomancers, chose the city for a palace complex modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City; the citadel was begun in 1803 and the imperial palace in 1804, and it was remodelled and enlarged to its present scale in 1833. Under French rule it served mostly for ceremony and as the imperial residence, after the monarchy ended in 1945 it suffered heavy damage and neglect in the wars that lasted into the 1980s, and in 1993 it became a World Heritage Site as part of the Complex of Huế Monuments (Wikipedia, Imperial City of Huế).

Highlights

• The Imperial City - the walled citadel of palaces, gates and courtyards.
• The royal tombs - the elaborate emperors' tombs in the countryside.
• The Perfume River - a boat trip past pagodas and the Thien Mu temple.
• The Ngo Mon Gate - the grand ceremonial gate of the citadel.

When to go

February to April for the driest, mildest weather, as Hue is one of the wettest cities in Vietnam, with a long rainy season from around September to December. The citadel and scattered tombs need time, so allow a full day or more.

Before you go

Much of the Imperial City was destroyed in war, so it is a mix of atmospheric ruins and ongoing restoration rather than a fully intact palace, which takes some imagination. The royal tombs are spread out in the countryside, needing a tour, boat or motorbike to link them. Hue is often rainy, so pick your season.

Nearby

Da Nang, Hoi An and the Hai Van Pass are to the south; the DMZ battle sites are to the north.

Key facts