The Hue Citadel at the centre of the Imperial City

Hue was the capital of Vietnam for 150 years until the revolution of 1945. During those years the Emperors busied themselves with building palaces and mausoleums to celebrate their grandeur. The core of these, the Forbidden Purple City, was modelled on the Beijing counterpart and contains seemingly endless small palaces and "Pagodas". This page shows some of the buildings that remain intact today. Most were destroyed in the revolutions and the American War.

March 2011

Flag Pole - 37 metres
Flag Pole - 37 metres
Flag Pole - 37 metres

A visit to the central part of the Imperial city starts at the gate by this huge flag pole which is said to be Vietnam's highest. Entrance is then through the Royal Gate on which sits the very fine pavilion seen in the next three pictures.

Royal Gate from the front
Royal Gate from the front
Royal Gate from the front The Royal Gate from inside
The Royal Gate from inside
The Royal Gate from inside Royal Gate Entrances
Royal Gate Entrances
Royal Gate Entrances View from above Royal Gate
View from above Royal Gate
View from above Royal Gate Looking in at the Thai Hoa Palace
Looking in at the Thai Hoa Palace
Looking in at the Thai Hoa Palace The Golden Water Bridge
The Golden Water Bridge
The Golden Water Bridge

Once inside the impression is of endless doorways leading to endless Palaces, Pagodas and Temples. The Palaces were built throughout the Nineteenth Century for the various wives and relatives of the Emperors, and the Pagodas and Temples to honour religious and ancestral figures.

Doors to Gardens Doors to Gardens Doors to Gardens Pavilion of Splendour
Pavilion of Splendour
Pavilion of Splendour More doors to Palaces
More doors to Palaces
More doors to Palaces Palace near East Gate
Palace near East Gate
Palace near East Gate Restored Building in Forbidden City
Restored Building in Forbidden City
Restored Building in Forbidden City

While the visitor is faced with an overwhelming series of buildings, so many that the guide books only mention a small selection, it is nevertheless the case that most of the central areas have been destroyed in the wars of the Twentieth Century. The marks of shells and arms fire are frequent.

Rear of last building
Rear of last building
Rear of last building North (west) or Hoa Binh Gate North (west) or Hoa Binh Gate North (west) or Hoa Binh Gate Detail on Hoa Binh Gate
Detail on Hoa Binh Gate
Detail on Hoa Binh Gate Roof Detail
Roof Detail
Roof Detail The complexities of the site defy the guide books, of the 5 main guides each has a different version of the naming of the areas of the site. Maybe we should follow the Vietnamese Tourist Guide which has the outermost area as the 'Imperial City', in from that comes the 'Imperial Enclosure' and at the centre is the 'Forbidden City'. North western Palace and moat
North western Palace and moat
North western Palace and moat Royal Reading Pavilion
Royal Reading Pavilion
Royal Reading Pavilion

The City has a perimeter of some 10 kilometres and is the old town of Hue within a wall, within that the Imperial enclosure is the place where official functions were held - this is the bit you pay to go into. At the centre of this was the Forbidden City, which was the private living area of the Emperors themselves, this has been almost completely destroyed.

Lake by north east Palace
Lake by north east Palace
Lake by north east Palace Restord Reception Hall
Restord Reception Hall
Restord Reception Hall Restored Roof Beams
Restored Roof Beams
Restored Roof Beams Bronze Urn - 1.5 tons
Bronze Urn - 1.5 tons
Bronze Urn - 1.5 tons

Most of the buildings are recent - work was started in the early 1900s. And where they are not restored they are often poor and indeed shabby. But the restorations are splendid, oozing opulence in red and gold. The contrast with the state of the people, and the collaboration with the French invaders, however, make any nostalgia or respect ebb.

Courtyard in front of Hien Lam Cac
Courtyard in front of Hien Lam Cac
Courtyard in front of Hien Lam Cac Scale of the Urns
Scale of the Urns
Scale of the Urns Largest urn and The Temple
Largest urn and The Temple
Largest urn and The Temple Detail carved onto Urn
Detail carved onto Urn
Detail carved onto Urn