Hue Imperial Citadel is part of the complex of Hue Monuments, imbued with the culture, history, and architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty, recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage in 1993.
Hue daily tours
Hue Citadel is located on the northern bank of the Huong River, turning South with total land area of 520 ha. It was a walled fortress and palace that belonged to the ancient city of Hue which was a capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty for 143 years dating back from 1802 until 1945.
Hue Citadel was surveyed by King Gia Long in 1803, the king impressed the peaceful land of Hue with charming scenery by the peaceful Perfume River. Started construction in 1805, and completed in 1832 during the reign of King Minh Mang, making it the most massive structure being built in the history of modern Vietnam involving thousands of workers, millions cubic meters of rock and huge volume of burden workload that lasted for 30 years under two dynasties.
The Imperial City of Hue has a circumference of 10 kilometers with the height of 6.6 meters and 21 meters thick, is meanderingly built with evenly spaced fortresses accompanied by cannons, artilleries and ammunitions. Initially the fortress was built solely by soil, at the end of Gia Long’s life, he started to build bricks. Outside the citadel is the complicated canal system served not only as a protection but also as a waterway with nearly seven kilometers.
The Imperial Citadel is the second circle inside the Hue citadel which was built in 1804 but totally completed in 1833, under King Ming Mang’s reign, the residence of the King and the Royal Family, and also the working place of the court. In addition, it is also a place to worship ancestors and kings of the Nguyen Dynasty. The Imperial Citadel has 4 gates placed on 4 sides, of which the largest and most beautiful main gate is Ngo Mon Gate.
Ngo Mon Gate has 5 gates, in which the main gate in the middle used to be the gate for the king to go, two side gates for mandarins and martial arts officials, and two surrounding gates for soldiers and elephants, and horses to follow. Built above the gate is Ngu Phung Lau with an ironwood structure, divided into 2 floors and 9 sets of roofs, the middle roof is covered with yellow, and the rest are 8 green roofs. Previously, Ngu Phung Lau was the place to organize several major ceremonies of the Nguyen court.
Thai Hoa Palace is a symbol of the power of the Nguyen Dynasty. Located in the Imperial Citadel area, Thai Hoa Palace and Dai Trieu Nghi Courtyard used to be the place where important court meetings of the court took place. The typical royal architecture of Hue ancient capital with ironwood as the main material. On the columns, the roof is carved with extremely sophisticated and meticulous winding dragon and phoenix images. The throne is located in the middle of the majestic palace, showing the majesty of the king.
Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). Situated inside the Imperial Citadel complex, behind the Throne Palace, the Purple Forbidden Citadel was reserved for Emperor and his family. Built in early 1803 under the reign of Emperor Gia Long, it was initially named Cung Thanh. In 1821, it was renamed into today’s Tu Cam Thanh.
This citadel part was built with brick walls of 3.72m high, 0.72m thick, and about 1,230m in circumference. Its front and back sides are 324m long respectively, while the left and right sides are both more than 290m long. The whole site consists of 50 architectural constructions of different sizes and 7 gates for facilitating the entrance and exit. Can Chanh Palace (where the king established the court and held banquets), Can Thanh Palace (where the king slept), Thai Binh Lau (where the king relaxed, read books), Ta Vu & Huu Vu, …
Dai Cung Mon overlooks the front yard of Thai Hoa Palace with 5 compartments and 3 doors. This architectural work was built in 1833, completely made of ironwood, and roofed with precious glazed tiles.
Connecting with Dai Cung Mon, Ta Vu and Huu Vu are two buildings opposite Can Chanh Palace – a place for civil servants and martial arts officials to go. This is also the place where many meetings, banquets, and competitions are held. Today, the two buildings are the place to store many precious artifacts.
Can Chanh Palace is considered one of the most prominent architectural works in the Tu Cam Thanh. Located directly north-south with Thai Hoa Palace, Can Chanh Palace is surrounded by elaborately carved ironwood.
Built and completed in 1921, Thai Binh Lau was the place where the king rested, read books, enjoyed tea, and wrote poetry amid a charming natural setting.
Dien Tho Palace is always mentioned as a destination not to be missed when coming to Hue Citadel. This is the residence of the most powerful women, always close to the king such as the Queen Mother.
Hue daily tours
