Hue Citadel is one of the most attractive destinations in Hue. This place also preserves unique architecture and many valuable artifacts of the once splendid golden feudal period.
Where is Hue city?
Hue Citadel also known as Thuan Hoa Kinh Thanh is an ancient citadel located in the ancient capital of Hue. This is the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty for 143 years from 1802 to 1945.
Hue Citadel is one of the relics belonging to the system of cultural heritage of the ancient capital of Hue, including the Complex of Hue Ancient Monuments, Hue Royal Court Music, Nguyen Dynasty Wood, Nguyen Dynasty Chau and Poetry System. on Hue imperial architecture … In 1993, the Complex of Hue Monuments was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.
Vietnam also has Hue Citadel ‘luxurious in every step’, a world cultural heritage (recognized by UNESCO).
How to move to Hue Citadel
You can move to Hue Citadel by many different means as follows.
Airplanes are the fastest way to get to Hue among the vehicles available.
From Tan Son Nhat Airport – Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Bai Airport (Hue) only takes 30 minutes. Ticket price is about 400,000 VND / way
From Noi Bai airport – Hanoi to Hue Phu Bai airport only 1 hour, ticket price from 750,000 VND / time.
Phu Bai Airport is located only about 15m from Hue Citadel, so visitors can choose two convenient ways to travel: take a taxi or airport transfer.
Hue Citadel is famous for being the most intact royal relic in Vietnam.
By bus:
From Hanoi to Hue, you should choose some famous and reputable car manufacturers such as Hoang Long, Cemal Trevel with prices ranging from only VND 250,000 / time / person to VND 350,000 / person / person.
If you go from Ho Chi Minh City, you should choose some popular car manufacturers such as Tam Minh Phuong, Tam Duc, Hoang Long, with prices from only 400,000 VND / person / one way to 650,000 VND / person / time.
From Da Nang to Hue is very close, so you can easily choose many vehicles to move. The price is only from 80,000 VND / person / one way to 180,000 VND / person / time depending on the type of vehicle.
History of Hue Citadel
In 1802, after King Nguyen Phuc Anh was crowned emperor, he chose Hue as the seat of the capital. This place has beautiful feng-shui, charming water painting with the flowing Huong River, the previous citadel is Ngu Binh mountain.
Hue Citadel has a beautiful location surrounded by the Perfume River surrounded by mountains.
Hue Citadel was built in 1805 under the reign of King Gia Long, lasting nearly 30 years until the reign of Emperor Minh Mang. This is an almost square citadel, each side about 2.5km from the top, curving in the front of the Huong River section flowing through the front of the citadel.
Inside the Hue Citadel, there was a smaller citadel, also known as the Imperial Citadel – a citadel with the front and back sides measuring 622m in length, 604m on both sides. This is where the important organs of the court are located. The innermost Forbidden City – 324m long front and back, 290m on both sides – is the main residence of the royal family.
Hue Citadel is known as the first capital city of Vietnam.
The Imperial City of Hue lies between the two sides, Con Hen and Con Da Vien, which left the left of Thanh Long and the right side of Bach Ho, creating a posture of a dragon of admiration. Besides, a stretch of Huong River flows through two curved islets like a bow with the meaning of bringing vitality to the City.
Over the years of ups and downs, Hue Citadel has become one of the largest and most massive architectural works. Going through the two kings’ generations, the new city has the same shape and shape as today.
Architecture of Hue Citadel
Hue Citadel is an architectural work with a large space, an area of about 520 hectares and the most important position of the Nguyen Dynasty. Currently, Hue imperial capital still retains a lot of architectural works, temples, palaces with outstanding cultural and architectural value.
Hue Citadel is a place to preserve the once splendid golden feudal architecture.
Hue Citadel was built right on the banks of the romantic Perfume River, facing the South. The Imperial City and Forbidden City also turned to the South (meaning ruling over the whole world).
Going to Hue without visiting the Imperial City, without going to Dai Noi is no different from going to Hanoi without going to the Lake shore.
The Imperial City’s outer ring has a circumference of nearly 10km, a height of about 6.6m, and a length of 21m including equally arranged works. Outside the citadel, there is a system of trenches covering, river and canal system functions to protect and function waterways.
The citadel has 10 main doors, namely North Main gate, Northwest gate, Southwest gate, Chinh Nam gate, Quang Duc gate, The Nhon gate, Southeast gate, Chinh Dong gate and Northeast gate. There is also an auxiliary door to Tran Binh Dai.
Monuments are in Hue Citadel
Forbidden City
As the innermost citadel of the Citadel, it is the living place of the King and Royal Family. The citadel was built in 1804, has a rectangle with the north and south sides, 341m long, the east and west creeks 308m long, the circumference of 1298m including 50 large and small works and 7 doors.
Imperial Citadel
Hue Imperial Citadel has more than 100 works completed by the reign of Emperor Minh Mang in 1833.
The Imperial Citadel is also known as the second citadel of Hue Citadel , this is the residence of the king and the royal family, and also the workplace of the feudal court. Hoang Thanh has an important position and significance in the Citadel because it is also a place to worship ancestors and the Nguyen Kings. Inside Hoang Thanh, there is also Thai Hoa Palace, which is the place where the court is lost and the area of shrines.
Thai Hoa palace
Thai Hoa Palace is located in the Hoang Thanh – Dai Noi Hue area, the coronation place of the Nguyen Dynasty king. This palace is considered the center of the imperial city of Hue, also the center of the country, as a symbol of power of the once majestic Nguyen Dynasty. The palace, along with the courtyard, were the two sites used for important court ceremonies in the old days.
In the Thai Hoa Palace, there is still a throne of the Nguyen dynasty.
Ngo Mon Gate
Ngo Mon Gate is the main gate of the Imperial City, located south of the Imperial City of Hue . From a distance, the Imperial Citadel of Hue is like a magnificent castle, but it is also very close, in harmony with the natural landscape and soul, bearing the feelings of Hue people.
Ngo Mon Gate, together with the palace system inside Hoang Thanh, forms a complex and majestic architecture. From the ground, the hierarchy is built of long, open, but very discreet rocks in the platform, leading up to the Ngu Phung floor.
Coming to Hue, visiting Ngo Mon Gate and taking photos is something that no one tourists miss in their journey to this historic land.
Penthouse
If the Ngo Mon gate is a special highlight of the Hoang Thanh area, the Ngu Phung Floor is a very generous family. In any weather or temperature background, visitors walking upstairs to Ngu Phung floor also have a pleasant and cool feeling. This is also an open space for tourists with wide-eye view of the four directions to feel the imprint of Hue cultural history.
Besides the carvings or the architecture of the royal gate of the Ngu Phung floor, here you can also see the entire Imperial City and cannot help admire the planning skills of the old court for the panorama of Hue Citadel on the banks of the Perfume River. green.
Ngo Mon Gate with Ngu Phung floor is the highlight of Hue city.
Ky Dai
Along with Ngo Mon Gate, Ngu Phung Floor, Thai Hoa Palace, Ky Dai Hue are considered symbols of Hue Citadel because of its special outstanding position.
Ky Dai was built in the 6th year of Gia Long, ie 1807. After many remodeling, it has a shape to this day. Ky Dai is also known as the flagpole, located in the middle of the southern face of Hue Citadel, within the Nam Chanh fortress, which is also the place where the imperial flag is flown.
Ky Dai Hue is considered a symbol of Hue Citadel.
Quoc Tu Giam School
Quoc Tu Giam School has an important role in the history of education in our country because it was the first university built under the Nguyen Dynasty. This place gathered and trained many talents for the country at that time. Currently Quoc Tu Giam has become Hue museum, is a place to keep valuable artifacts of Hue through the ages.
Long An Palace
Long An Palace was built in 1845. This palace is the resting place of the king after conducting the Presidential Ceremony in every early spring every year. This is also the place where King Thieu Tri frequented to rest, read books or recite poetry.
Today, Long An Palace still preserves precious objects of the court. Admiring and understanding these artifacts will help people to have a better view of the lives of ancient kings.
This palace dedicated to the resting king was built in the same way as snails. The electric roof is covered with royal tile with overlapping matches. The match-neck strip is divided into each box to decorate drawings and poems on the lam phat plates. 197 poems drafted in a monotonic manner is one of the special features of Long An Palace.
Long An Palace is the most beautiful palace of Hue city.
Browse Thi Duong
Browse Thi Duong is the place to enjoy royal music, located right inside the Forbidden City. It can be seen as a theater specializing in performing ancient plays for the king and the royal family like and the great dignitaries of Hue Citadel .
It is known as the oldest theater in the Vietnamese theater industry. In recent years, Duyet Thi Duong has been restored and added more elegant performances of Hue court music to serve tourists and achieved very positive results, attracting many tourists.
Duyet Thi Duong is the oldest theater in the Vietnamese theater industry.
Bao Vinh – The ‘secret’ old town between Hue Citadel
On the Hue tourist map, maybe Bao Vinh Ancient Town is a rather strange name to many tourists. Bao Vinh ancient town from the middle of the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century is considered the busiest commercial area not only of Hue city but also of Dang Trong.
Bao Vinh ancient town is located on a romantic river.
The old town of Bao Vinh was still 39 houses from 150 to 200 years old, but now most of them have been eroded by time, only 15 old houses are scattered in Hue. However, the fairytale beauty of the old old houses nestled on the peaceful Huong River always gives viewers an indescribable feeling of lightheadedness. The special thing is that the people of God – the owner of Bao Vinh ancient houses are extremely friendly.
Many visitors here have expressed their respect and passion for the beauty of each street corner, the street of the old town. They are always led by local guides into each room in a time-colored house, telling stories that have become legends with delicate content, the province of Hue.
Traveling to Hue , tourists must definitely visit Hue Citadel because not only visit or admire the works bearing the imprint of ancient architecture but also to find back memories of a period of imperial feudalism of our country. , see the timeless beauty of the surviving works still exist in the present.