Hue's Imperial City

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The Citadel, Hue

Hue is the site of the Citadel (Kinh Thanh). It was built between 1804 and 1833. It consists of 2m-thick 10km-long walls, a moat (30m. across and 4m deep) and 10 gateways. It has several different sections: The Imperial Enclosure and the Forbidden Purple City were the epicenter of royal life with temple compounds on the southwestern side and residences in the northwest, gardens in the northeast and a military fortress Mang Ca in the north.

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The water in the moat is routed from the Huong River (Perfume River) through a series of sluice gates. This enclosure is the Citadel (Kinh thành). Inside the Citadel is the Imperial City (Hoàng thành), with a perimeter wall some 2.5 kilometers inlength. Within the Imperial City is the Purple Forbidden City (Tử cấm thành), a term similar to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Access to the innermost enclosure is restricted to the Nguyễn imperial family.

The Imperial Enclosure

The Imperial Enclosure is basically a citadel within a citadel. It housed the emperor's residence, temples and palaces and the main buildings of state. Most of the original 148 buildings were destroyed by the French and American Wars. As you stand before the gateway, you feel that strong stabilizing force of the traditional architectural design of the Imperial Enclosure. Symmetry and balance bring a calming effect and the sense that there is some order to the universe.

Ngo Mon Gateway

As you enter you pass through Ngo Mon Gateway,Dating from 1833, the Ngo Mon Gateway is a huge structure that guards the main approach to the Imperial Enclosure. It has a fortified lower level and more architecturally elaborate upper level.

Thai Hoa Palace

From there we pass to the Thai Hoa Palace where the emperor would greet official visitors from his elevated throne. there are monolithic ironwood columns painted in 12 coats of brilliant scarlet and gold lacquer. Restoration in the 1990s saved this structure.

Hall of the Mandarins & Beyond

Beyond the Thai Hoa Palace lie the twin Hall of the Mandarins where mandarins once had their offices and prepared for the ceremonial occasions. To the northeast of the Thai Hoa Palace is the Royal Theatre where traditional dance performances are held today. Next to the Royal Theatre is the Emperors' Reading Room built by Thieu Tri as a place of retreat and study. To the West is the Dien Tho Residence, which was the residence of the Queen Mothers with the earliest structure dating from 1804. There is a beautifully restored temple compound of To Mieu with the amazing Nine Dynastic Urns, colossal bronze urns commissioned by Emperor Minh Mang and cast between 1835 and 1836. The urns are embellished with decorative elements including landscapes, rivers, flowers and animals.



LeBaDang Art Foundation

This gallery is located on the street that runs along the Pefume Riverside. There are more than 300 works of art by LeBaDang, combination of Eastern/Western cultures, including oils, water colors, acrylic on canvas, silk, synthetic papers, and other materials. The collection include sculptures of wood, stainless steel, metal and concrete, including "the Woman, the Eyes, the Cats, Blue Zen, Art for Art, To Be or not To Be, LeBaDang's Space, LeBaDang Graphic, Human Comedy, The Millennium of GiaoChi Feet" His work is philosophical about human life and the universe. Some themes include the war, homeland love, cultural identity of the glorious history of building and defending the country. He makes full use of various colors with abstract, vibrant, soulful and vital images. He was born in 1921 in Quang Tri Province and resided in France from 1939. He graduated from Fine Arts University in Toulouse. Although he lives in France he is recognized as 100% Vietnamese.

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