Huế, Vietnam

Gate to Imperial Citadel

Huế is a city with a long and distinguished history and despite the bitter battles that have taken place here in recent times, during the Vietnam. War, it has kept its air of romance, refinement, scholarship and spirituality. The founder of the Nguyễn dynasty, Emperor Gia Long, made Huế his capital in 1802, and it soon became known for its cultural activity. On the north bank of the Perfume River, the Emperor built a huge citadel in the Chinese style, with a Forbidden City at its heart, reserved for the sovereign's use. The Imperial City which surrounds it was the hub of the administration, and the whole complex is enclosed by a wall 7 m (23 ft.) high and 20 m (66 fl) thick, surrounded both inside and out by a moat and a canal.

Imperial Citadel.

The Imperial City was devastated first by fire in 1947, and later by some of the most terrible battles of the Vietnam War. However, some of the buildings remain and have been perfectly restored. Rebuilding has been continuous since 1975 and received a boost when Hue became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The Ngo Mon Gate and the Thai Hoa Palace are two of the highlights but there are ancestral altars, Chinese assembly halls, pagodas, temples, royal mausoleum and fascinating museums to be explored too.

Huế is not simply a city of glorious historic relics; it is a lively thriving place, home to five universities. In 1995 it was given independent city status by the government to mark its growing economic importance.

Royal tomb.

Royal tomb's gate.