Poised gracefully on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the Hue Citadel Complex is the heart of Vietnam’s last feudal dynasty. A designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, this immense fortress is a living testament to the grandeur and power of the Nguyen Dynasty, who ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. More than just a collection of buildings, the Citadel is a journey back in time, offering a profound glimpse into a fascinating chapter of Vietnamese history.
The Three Rings of Power
The Citadel is an architectural marvel, designed as a series of three nested enclosures.
- The Capital Citadel (Kinh Thành Huế): The outermost ring is a massive fortress. Started in 1805, its imposing ramparts stretch for nearly 10 kilometers. With its 10 gates and 24 defensive bastions, it was built to protect the entire city and its inhabitants.
- The Royal Citadel (Hoàng Thành): This middle layer is the most important section, serving as the center of power and the seat of government. Through the grand Ngo Mon Gate (Meridian Gate), you enter a world of royal palaces and shrines, including the majestic Thai Hoa Palace, where the Emperor held his most important ceremonies.
- The Forbidden City (Tử Cấm Thành): The innermost and most exclusive part was reserved solely for the Emperor and his family. Here, behind thick walls, were the Emperor’s private residences, the Empress’s living quarters, and the Royal Theatre (Duyệt Thị Đường).
The poetic and beautiful Hue of Vietnam was chosen to be the capital of the Southern Kingdom under Nguyen Lords’ Dynasty, and officially became the nation’s capital under Tay Son Dynasty, King Quang Trung. The citadel palace complex is located on the North bank of Huong River (Perfume River), inside Hue city. It is a huge complex covering an area of 520ha and comprising three circles of ramparts, Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). It was said to be protected by the two sand dunes: The Con Hen and Con Da Vien on the Perfume River, as “dragon on the left, tiger on the right”.
The very first stop-over is the exterior circle, the Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue capital citadel), which started to be constructed in 1805 under the reign of Emperor Gia Long and was completed in 1832 under the sovereignty of Emperor Ming Mang. Over the past 200 years, it has still maintained original with nearly 140 small and large constructions. With a square shape, it is almost 10km in circumference, 6m high, 21m thick, with 10 entrances. On the top of the walls, 24 bastions are established for defensive purposes. Besides, the Citadel has an ancillary gate connecting the Tran Binh Bastion called the Tran Binh Mon (Peaceful protector Gate).
Get further into the second circle, the Hoang Thanh (Royal citadel), also the most important part of the Citadel, which was built in 1804 but totally completed in 1833, under King Ming Mang’s reign. The Citadel, which is more than 600m long for each side, was built with bricks of 4m high, and 1m thick. Around the citadel is a protecting trench system. Tourists can get access to the Imperial Citadel through four entrance gates. In the past, Ngo Mon Gate was only reserved for the King. Royal Citadel consists of more than 100 fascinating architectural works divided into numerous sections:
Section of the Ngo Mon Gate and the Thai Hoa Palace: used for various grand ceremonies.
Section for placing shrines of the Kings under Nguyen Dynasty: Trieu Mieu, Thai Mieu, Hung Mieu, The Mieu and Phung Tien Temples.
Section of internal affairs office: Storehouse for precious objects, workshop for manufacturing various useful articles.
Section of the Kham Van Palace and Co Ha Garden: is where the princes studied or relaxed.
Passing through Hoang Thanh, we enter Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). Situated inside the Imperial Citadel complex, behind the Throne Palace, the Forbidden Citadel was reserved for Emperor and his family. Built in the early 1803 under reign of Emperor Gia Long, it was initially named Cung Thanh. In 1821, it was renamed into the today’s Tu Cam Thanh.
A Glimpse into Royal Life
Exploring the Citadel is like walking through a historical narrative. You can wander through the halls where emperors conducted their daily affairs, stroll through peaceful gardens where princes once studied, and admire the beautiful architecture of the temples and palaces. From the opulent Thai Hoa Palace to the more intimate royal residences, every structure tells a story of an era of immense power and intricate culture.
Should you ever come inside the citadel, taking a look into the special feudal relics of immense architectural and cultural values, you will surely more or less love the traditional and classical side of Vietnam. As time goes by, thousands of changes have occurred, the precious historical and classical beauty of the nation would never be gone!
Standing for over 200 years and consisting of over 100 fascinating architectural works almost remained unchanged, the Royal Citadel is an ideal place for those wishing to better understand an architectural and cultural beauty as well as an important history of Vietnam. Joining a city tour of Hue and visiting Hue Citadel – the not-to-be-missed attraction when you travel to Hue will give you a better understanding of the architectural and cultural beauty during an important phase in Vietnam history.
