Hue Imperial City

called for a Grab to take us across the Perfume River to the Citadel, arriving just after opening. The admission included a personal tour by a guide who took us around a few of the stops on a very informative, short tour.

Hue was the capital city during the 143 year long Nguyen dynasty, the first well defined imperial administrative and bureaucratic system of Vietnam. From 1803-1883 the Nguyen emperors ruled the unified Vietnamese state before French involvement which lasted until 1945. Listed as a World Heritage Site since 1993, the site of the Imperial City of Hue is a vast complex of monuments spread over 4 square kilometers. This is protected by three circles of impressive walls reinforced by 24 bastions with 10 intricately decorated gates. The Hue Citadel is just one aspect of what remains, within which are set the the Imperial City and the inside the purple walls the Forbidden City as well as administrative and military structures. 2,000 people with various roles worked within the walls to serve the emperor.

Nguyen Anh ascended the throne of a newly unified Vietnam in 1789 and immediately proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long. In 1804 construction began on the Imperial City of Hue with thousands of workers building the citadel and moat and imperial complex of buildings. The majority of the construction was completed during the reign of his son, Emperor #2, Minh Mang.

The city suffered in 1947 when the Viet Minh seized the citadel. A French counter attack besieged the city and a 6-week battle destroyed many major buildings and the Imperial Palace was burned. Later, during the Battle of Hue in 1968, US troops were ordered to hold shelling the city because of its heritage.

We then took the walk all the way back to our hotel for the rest of the afternoon.Read more