Hue, Vietnam

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Hue is an ancient land. By the 13th century this romantic piece of land had already been added to Daiviet Kingdom (Vietnam nowadays) as a gift from Champa King when he married princess Huyen Tran of the Tran dynasty. Hue has been representing the cultural and spiritual center of Vietnam for a long period of time. This city is famous for its magnificent architecture of citadel, palaces, pagodas and Royal tombs built under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty in a poetic background of greenery on the banks of the Perfume River. UNESCO has called Hue “an adorable architectural poem”. Hue is a harmonized combination of nature and human inspiration.

Another attraction in Hue is the folk song and traditional music known as Hue songs. It is the harmonious mingling of the popular music with that of the Royal. These special kinds of songs are so gentle and sweet that they leave a deep impression on listeners. In the evening, ride the boat drifting along Perfume River and listen to Hue songs under passionate moonlight. It will make you feel like you are in the Fairyland.

Today Hue is a quiet town of 350,000 friendly people. So come to Hue, discover its magic ancient architecture, its spiritual life, enjoy its special foods and join royal court activities. It is worth your valuable time.

Sight-seeing spots

THE CITADEL AND THE IMPERIAL CITY
The site of the citadel covers an area of 52 km2. The construction began between 1804 and 1833. The citadel suffered from big damages due to fire in 1945 and war bombardments. It is surrounded as a fortification guarded by 80 bunkers and a deep trench of 40 m large, connected by a bridge in front of ten gates. There is another trench that edges the imperial city.
The essential places of interest of the citadel and the imperial city are the flagpole, the noon gate, the courtyard for royal ceremonies, the palace of supreme peace, the memorial temple for Nguyen Kings, nine dynastic urns and the Forbidden City.
KING MINH MANG'S TOMB
Located 12 km far from the city on the left branch of the Perfume river, built as the plan drawn out by the King himself and on the place chosen by the King too in the middle of the pine forest. The construction started in 1841 after the king's death. The palace, the pavilions, the entrances are harmoniously built around two big lakes that make these more luxurious and peaceful.

KING TU DUC'S TOMB
Tu Duc was the fourth emperor of The Nguyen Dynasty. He had his tomb constructed when still on the throne in 1848. The tomb was built according to the plan based on two axes, one for the mausoleum, the other for the palace, 7 km far from the city, surrounded by a brick wall. It comprises of an important number of buildings, man-made ponds full of nenuphars and lotuses, crossed by various bridges and covered by frangipanniers. This is one of the most romantic and splendid masterpieces.

KING KHAI DINH'S TOMB
Khai Dinh, the twelfth king of the Nguyen Dynasty and the father of King Bao Dai who is the last emperor of Vietnam. The construction started from 1920 to 1931 The conception of architecture and decoration got the European influence. The multi-colored ceramic inlaid style makes his mausoleum gracious and magnificent.

NAM GIAO (TEMPLE OF HEAVEN)
Nam Giao (Tempe of Heaven) was once the most important religious site in all Vietnam. It was here that every three years, the emperor solemnly offered elaborate sacrifices to the All-Highest Emperor of the August Heaven (Thuong De). The topmost esplanade, which represents Heaven, is round; the middle terrace, representing Earth, is square, as is the lowest terrace.

THE THIEN MU PAGODA
Located 6 km far from the city on the left branch of the Perfume River. This Buddhist monastery was erected in 1601 by Lord Nguyen Hoang, the ancestor of The Nguyen, on a used hilly brick foundation of a Cham building. It was renovated in 1844 under King Thieu Tri's sovereignty. Legends said that one night people found an old lady seating on this small hill, wearing a red long dress and green trousers and she claimed that this place belongs to the supernatural power so a pagoda should be constructed here. After the words, the lady disappeared in the cloud, since then it was called the pagoda of the old celestial goddess.

THE IMPERIAL MUSEUM
The beautiful hall that house The Imperial Museum (Bao Tang Co Vat) was built in 1845 and restored when the museum was founded in 1923. The walls are inscribed with poems written Vietnamese script (nom). The most precious artifacts were lost during the American War, but the ceramic, furniture and royal clothing that remain are well worth a look. On the left side of the hall is a royal sedan chair, a gong and a musical instrument consisting of stones hung on a bi-level rack. On the other side of the hall is the equipment for favorite game of the emperor – the idea was to bounce a stick of a wooden platform into a tall, thin jug.

THANH TOAN BRIDGE
If you missed the famous Japanese bridge in Hoi An, or prefer the less beaten track, there is another classic covered footbridge about 7 km east of central Hue well worth seeking out. Thanh Toan Bridge is architecturally similar to its cousin in Hoi An, though it receives far less visitors (itÂ’s mostly used by local villagers for nap in the shady walkway). The bridge is best reached by motorbike or bicycle. Finding it is a bit tricky, but tolerable if you consider getting lost part of the excursion. Head north for a few hundred metres on Ba Trieu. (from the roundabout near the An Cuu bus station) until you see a sign to the Citadel Hotel. Turn right here and follow the delightful (and bumpy) dirt road for another 6 km past villages, rice paddies and several pagodas until you reach the bridge.

Source : http://www.discovermekong.com

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