Vietnam > The citadel of Hué

Today is a free day in Hué. A perfect opportunity to sleep in. Later than usual, we head into the city for breakfast. Unfortunately, it is raining lightly. A shame! After breakfast, we walk toward the Citadel. Construction of the Hué Citadel began in 1804 by order of Emperor Gia Long. Thousands of forced laborers were used to build the complex, which is surrounded by a ten-kilometer-long wall. The center of the Imperial City is the Forbidden Purple City, containing the emperor’s private quarters.

Vietnam - The entrance gate of the Citadel of Hue

During the Tet Offensive in January 1968, during the Vietnam War, the Citadel was heavily damaged. The Viet Cong launched an offensive against the Americans and defended themselves from the Citadel. After 25 days, the Americans recaptured the Citadel from the Vietnamese, but most of the Citadel lay in ruins. We enter the Imperial City through the Ngo-Mon Gate, the main gate opposite the flag tower. We cross the ceremonial square and visit the Thai-Hoa Palace in the Forbidden Purple City, where the gilded imperial throne stands. We wander further through the complex and end the visit at the Hien Lam Pavilion. This temple is dedicated to everyone who gave their life for the founding of the Nguyen dynasty. In the courtyard stand the nine dynastic urns, each representing a ruler of the Nguyen dynasty. In the afternoon, we take the bus to visit several imperial tombs and pagodas near Hué. Every emperor built a summer residence and a tomb for his legacy, often trying to surpass his predecessor. The tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh is about ten kilometers outside Hué.

Vietnam - The tomb in the ThienDinh Palace is decorated with mosaics

The tomb is a literal mausoleum, combining Vietnamese and European styles, setting it apart from other tombs. A large staircase leads to the inner courtyard. One level higher lies the ceremonial court with stone statues of horses, elephants, and mandarins—very photogenic. I climb to the highest level and enter the Thien Dinh Palace, which contains halls fully decorated with beautiful mosaics. In the central hall stands the statue of Emperor Khai Dinh next to his tomb. Although photography is technically not allowed, I decide to quickly capture the beauty. The second tomb we visit is that of Tu Duc. The complex is impressive and served more as a summer residence for the emperor than an actual burial site. Ultimately, the emperor is not buried here, due to fear of robbers and grave desecrators. Upon entering, we walk along the Luu Khiem Lake to the Hoa Khiem Temple. Emperor Tu Duc used this temple as his palace with private quarters, and it even has its own theater. Diagonally behind the palace, we visit the ceremonial court with the burial tombs. Finally, we visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, the most famous pagoda in Vietnam. The 21-meter-high Phuoc Duyen Stupa is an octagonal tower dedicated to the reincarnation of Buddha and is now a symbol of Hué.

Vietnam - Guards stand at the tomb of Khai Dinh

In the garden stands the beautiful Dai Hung Temple. In front of the pagoda, we board a dragon boat and sail back to Hué in about an hour along the Perfume River. The entire boatman family is on board, taking the opportunity to sell us souvenirs—T-shirts, figurines, and other trinkets—almost endlessly. Meanwhile, dusk falls. Unfortunately, it is cloudy, so there is no beautiful sunset over the river. In the evening, we eat at “Little Italy,” a nice little restaurant until we spot a rat running across the decorations above the tables. We quickly pay and leave. At the post office, I send an email to family at home and then return to the hotel.