20 Beautiful Photos of Hue, Vietnam's Lost Imperial City

Vu Pham Van / © Culture Trip

From 1802 to 1945, Hue was the capital of Vietnam and home to the Nguyen dynasty. After the Vietnam War, Hue’s unique history fell to ruin because the imperial era wasn’t viewed favorably by the communist authorities. These days, however, the city’s temples and landmarks are national treasures, with millions of tourists arriving every year to see these fascinating sites.

The Citadel

By far the focal point of tourism in Hue, the Citadel is a sprawling complex on the northern side of the Perfume River, and within its deep moat and imposing walls are the courts, temples, gardens and pavilions of the Imperial City.

Vu Pham Van / © Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Imperial City

Meridian Gate

For most, this gate—also known as the South Gate—will be where you start your tour of the Imperial City. It was built in 1833 by emperor Minh Mạng and was used as a place from which to view ceremonies and troop movements. The five entrances you can see in the photo below are sized according to the status of the person allowed to enter through them: the middle and largest was for the emperor; the two smaller ones off the center were for mandarins, soldiers and horses; and the two arched entrances facing inward were for the commoners.

Vu Pham Van /© Culture Trip

Vu Pham Van /© Culture Trip

Hien Nhon gate

This gate is the eastern entrance into the Imperial City.

Vu Pham Van / © Culture Trip

Vu Pham Van /© Culture Trip

The To Mieu Temple complex

The emperor, Minh Mạng, ordered this temple built in 1823 to worship the previous nine rulers of his dynastic line, which is why there are nine tripod cauldrons around the courtyard in front of the temple. The temple itself is modeled off the Imperial Ancestral Temple, or Taimiao, in Beijing.

Vu Pham Van / © Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Below are some of the tripod cauldrons made to honor the first emperors of the Nguyen dynasty.

Vu Pham Van / © Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

There are many pictures and pieces of art for tourists to see what life was like.

Vu Pham Van / © Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Purple Forbidden City

Following the Tet Offensive in 1968, a division of the People’s Army of Vietnam, or Viet Cong, occupied Hue, including the Citadel and the Imperial City. At first, the Americans were reluctant to bomb the historic sites, but when casualties began to mount, they changed their policy. Of 160 original buildings, only 10 complexes remained after the Battle of Hue. Most of the Purple Forbidden City, where the emperor lived, was destroyed, and you can still see many bullet holes in walls. The original structures were modeled off the Chinese Forbidden City in Beijing.

Vu Pham Van / © Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Co Ha Gardens

These gardens, located at in the northeast corner of the Imperial City, were built by the first four emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. For many years, they fell into disrepair, but a restoration project has brought them back to their former glory. You really feel like Vietnamese royalty when you stroll through this opulent area.

Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities

Museum

This newly renovated museum houses artifacts from the dynastic years when Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam, such as garments, ceramics and works of art.

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