Hue Monuments Complex

The Complex of Hue Monuments or the Complex of Hue Architectural Monuments are historical and cultural relics built by the Nguyen Dynasty from the early 19th century to the first half of the 20th century in the ancient capital of Hue; now located in Hue city and some neighboring areas of Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Most of these relics are now under the management of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center and were recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage on December 11, 1993. Currently, the Hue Imperial Citadel has been included in the list of 62 national relics of special importance by the Prime Minister of Vietnam.

The complex of Hue Monuments can be divided into clusters of works including clusters of works outside the Hue Citadel and inside the Hue Citadel. The Hue Citadel was surveyed by King Gia Long in 1803 and construction began in 1805, completed in 1832 under the reign of King Minh Mang. The relics in the citadel include: Also known as the Flag Tower, located in the middle of the southern side of the Hue Citadel within the scope of Nam Chanh Fortress, which is also where the royal flag is hung. The Ky Dai was built in the 6th year of Gia Long (1807), at the same time as the construction of the Hue Citadel.

During the reign of Minh Mang, the Flag Tower was renovated in 1829, 1831 and 1840. Historically, the Flag Tower was often the place to mark important events and changes in the government regime in Hue. In 1803, King Gia Long built the Doc Hoc Duong in An Ninh Thuong, Huong Tra district, about 5km west of Hue citadel. The school is located next to the Temple of Literature and faces the Huong River. This is considered the first national school built under the Nguyen Dynasty. In 1908, during the reign of King Duy Tan, the Imperial Academy was moved inside the citadel, outside, to the southeast of the Imperial Citadel (the current location).

The palace was built in 1845 under King Thieu Tri with the name Long An Palace in Bao Dinh Palace, Tay Loc Ward (Hue) as a resting place for the king after performing the Tich Dien (plowing) ceremony every spring. This was also the place where King Thieu Tri often visited, rested, read books, wrote poems and recited poems. At No. 3 Le Truc, Hue. The main building of the museum is Long An Palace built in 1845 under King Thieu Tri. Currently, the museum displays more than 300 artifacts made of gold, porcelain, ceramics, Hue enamel, royal medicine and costumes of the Nguyen Dynasty. The Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts helps visitors have an overview of Hue royal life.

Phu Xuan Communal House was built in the first half of the 19th century in Phu Xuan commune, Huong Tra district, Thua Thien Hue province (now Tay Loc ward, Hue city, 2km north of the city center). Tinh Tam Lake is a landscape relic built under the Nguyen Dynasty. Previously, the lake was a vestige of the Kim Long River flowing through Hue. At the beginning of the Gia Long period, the court renovated some sections of the river and dredged the river in another direction to form Ngu Ha and Ky Te lake. The two floating areas in this lake were used as places to build warehouses for gunpowder and saltpeter.

In the third year of Minh Mang (1822), the Nguyen Dynasty mobilized 8,000 soldiers to participate in the lake renovation. In 1838, King Minh Mang moved two warehouses to the east, rebuilt this place into a place for leisure and entertainment and called it Tinh Tam Lake. Under King Thieu Tri, this was considered one of the 20 beautiful landscapes of the Than Kinh land. The Library was built in 1825 on Hoc Hai Lake in the Hue Citadel, used as a place to store old documents of the Nguyen Dynasty's agencies and ministries. This can be considered a Vietnamese Library under the Nguyen Dynasty, storing rare documents related to the activities of the court and the changes of the country. The number of land registers from the Gia Long and Minh Mang dynasties alone stored here reached 12,000 volumes. It can be said that the Library was very important in storing documents, land registers, and important papers at that time. It was the king's advisory body consisting of four high-ranking mandarins from the Third Rank and above, who were Grand Scholars of the Dong Cac, Van Minh, Vo Hien and Can Chanh palaces. The Institute was initially located in the Ta Vu house.

After the fall of the capital in 1885, it had to move to the house of the Ministry of Rites, then the Ministry of War, and finally to Giac Hoang Pagoda in the area with the Supervisory Office (of the French) and the Ministry's Command Room, so it was called Tam Toa. Currently, Tam Toa is located at 23 Tong Duy Tan, Thuan Thanh Ward, in the Southeast corner inside the Hue Citadel, and is currently the headquarters of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. The Nine Cannons are the name of the nine cannons cast by Hue artisans under King Gia Long. After defeating the Tay Son Dynasty, when he ascended the throne, King Gia Long immediately ordered the artisans of the time to gather all the spoils of war, including weapons and bronze objects, to cast nine cannons as evidence of his glorious victory. The casting work officially began in 1803 and was completed in 1804.

The Imperial Citadel is located inside the Imperial City, with the function of protecting the most important palaces of the royal court, the temples of the Nguyen Dynasty's ancestors and protecting the Forbidden Purple City - a place reserved for the king and the royal family. The Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City are often referred to as the Imperial City. The relics in the imperial citadel include: Ngo Mon is the main southern gate of the Hue Imperial Citadel, built in the 14th year of Minh Mang (1833). Ngo Mon literally means the Gate of Noon or the Gate facing the South, and is the largest of the four main gates of the Hue Imperial Citadel. Etymologically, "Ngo Mon" means the gate facing the South, which is also the South, according to the Book of Changes, the direction reserved for kings and lords.

Thai Hoa Palace is a palace located in the Imperial City of Hue. The palace and the court yard are the places used for important court ceremonies such as: the coronation ceremony, the king's birthday, official receptions of ambassadors and grand court meetings held twice a month on the 1st and 15th of the lunar calendar. During the feudal regime, this palace was considered the center of the country. The palace was built in 1805 under King Gia Long. In 1833, when King Minh Mang re-planned the royal architecture system in the Imperial City, including moving the palace to the south and rebuilding it to be more massive and splendid.

Trieu To Temple, also known as Trieu Mieu, was built in the third year of Gia Long (1804). This temple is located to the north of Thai Mieu in Hue Imperial City, worshiping Nguyen Kim, the father of Lord Tien Nguyen Hoang. Hung To Temple, also known as Hung Mieu, is the temple worshiping King Gia Long's parents (Mr. Nguyen Phuc Luan (or Nguyen Phuc Con) and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoan), located in the southwest of Hue Imperial City (about 50 meters north of The Mieu). The To Temple, often called The Mieu, is located in the southwest corner inside Hue Imperial City, worshiping the Nguyen Dynasty kings. This is where the royal court comes to worship the deceased kings; women in the court (including the queen) are not allowed to attend these ceremonies. Thai To Temple, also known as Thai Mieu, is the temple worshiping the Nguyen Lords, from Nguyen Hoang to Nguyen Phuc Thuan. The temple was built in the 3rd year of Gia Long (1804) in the southeast corner of the Imperial Citadel, symmetrical to the The To Temple in the southwest.

Dien Tho Palace, originally named Truong Tho Palace, other names are Tu Tho, Gia Tho, Ninh Tho; construction began in 1803 as the residence of the Queen Mother of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Truong Sanh Palace or Truong Sinh Palace (also known as Truong Ninh Palace), was built in the first year of Minh Mang (1821) in the northwest of the Imperial Citadel with the initial role of a flower garden, where the Nguyen Dynasty kings invited their mothers to visit and enjoy the scenery. Later, the palace was converted into a place for living and working of a number of queen mothers and grand queen mothers. During its most glorious period, the landscape architecture of Truong Sanh Palace was ranked by King Thieu Tri as the seventh most beautiful landscape of the Imperial City.

Hien Lam Pavilion was built in 1821 and completed in 1822 under King Minh Mang, located in the temple area in the Hue Imperial Citadel, 17m high and is the tallest architectural work in the Imperial Citadel. This is considered a memorial to commemorate the achievements of the Nguyen Dynasty kings and great mandarins of the dynasty. The Nine Urns of the Nguyen Dynasty are nine bronze urns placed in front of Hien Lam Pavilion, opposite The Mieu Temple, southwest of Hue Imperial Palace. All were cast in Hue in late 1835 and completed in early 1837. Each urn has a separate name corresponding to an emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, they have different weights and different carvings on the outside of the urns. The 9 urns are: Cao Dinh, Nhan Dinh, Chuong Dinh, Anh Dinh, Nghi Dinh, Thuan Dinh, Tuyen Dinh, Du Dinh, and Huyen Dinh.

Phung Tien Temple is a temple located near Chuong Duc Gate, in front of Dien Tho Palace, the west gate of the Imperial Citadel, built by King Gia Long and King Minh Mang to worship the Nguyen Dynasty kings. Unlike The Mieu Temple, although this temple also worships the Nguyen Dynasty kings and queens, women in the court are allowed to come here to worship. In addition, it is also a place to store many treasures of many Nguyen Dynasty kings. In February 1947, the entire temple was burned down, currently only Tam Quan Gate and the citadel wall remain relatively intact.

The Forbidden City, originally called the Imperial City, is the third wall of the Hue Capital, limiting the working, living and working areas of the king and the royal family. The relics in the Forbidden City include: Ta Vu and Huu Vu, built in the early 19th century, and renovated in 1899. Ta Vu is the building for civil mandarins, and Huu Vu is the building for military mandarins; this is where mandarins prepare rituals before holding court, where the Privy Council works, where royal examinations and banquets are held. In the ancient capital of Hue, there are still 15 bronze cauldrons preserved and displayed, which are works of art demonstrating excellent casting techniques and fine arts. Of these, 11 were cast during the Nguyen Lords' reign, and 4 were cast during the Minh Mang period.

Kien Trung Palace in the Forbidden City (Hue) was built by King Khai Dinh in 1921-1923 at the same time as the mausoleum to serve as the king's living quarters in the royal palace. Later, King Bao Dai renovated the palace, added Western amenities, and moved here with Queen Nam Phuong.

Can Chanh Palace in the Forbidden City (Hue), built in the third year of Gia Long (1804), was later renovated many times. The palace was where the king held court, often received foreign envoys, and held banquets for the royal family and the Nguyen Dynasty. It has now become a ruin due to being destroyed in 1947. Thai Binh Lau was built by King Khai Dinh in 1919 and completed in 1921. It was a place for the king to rest in his spare time, and also a place for the king to read books, write, compose poems, and relax.

Duyet Thi Duong was built in the 7th year of Minh Mang (1826) inside the Forbidden City, a theater for the king, royal family members, and high-ranking officials to watch plays. This is considered the oldest theater in the Vietnamese theater industry. Since 2004, Duyet Thi Duong has been restored by the Hue Monuments Museum Center and put into operation to perform Hue royal court music for tourists.

Gia Long Tomb, also known as Thien Tho Lang, began construction in 1814 and was completed in 1820. The mausoleum is actually a complex of many royal mausoleums. The entire mausoleum is a mountain range with 42 large and small hills and mountains, of which Dai Thien Tho is the largest mountain chosen as the mausoleum's front yard and is the name of the entire mountain range. Minh Mang Tomb, also known as Hieu Lang, was built by King Thieu Tri from 1840 to 1843 to bury his father, King Minh Mang. The mausoleum is located on Cam Khe Mountain, near the Bang Lang junction, where the Huu Trach and Ta Trach streams converge to form the Huong River, 12 km from the ancient capital of Hue. Thieu Tri Tomb, also known as Xuong Lang, is located in Cu Chanh village, Thuy Bang commune, Hue city. It was built by King Tu Duc in 1847 to bury his father, King Thieu Tri. is the burial place of Emperor Thieu Tri. Compared to the tombs of the previous and succeeding kings, Thieu Tri's tomb has its own unique features. This is the only tomb facing the Northwest, a direction rarely used in palace and tomb architecture during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Tu Duc Tomb was built by King Tu Duc himself while he was still in power. It is a complex of architectural works, including the burial place of King Tu Duc, located in a narrow valley in Duong Xuan Thuong village, Cu Chanh commune (old), now Thuong Ba village, Thuy Xuan ward, Hue city. When it was first built, the tomb was called Van Nien Co. After the Chay Voi rebellion, Tu Duc changed its name to Khiem Cung. After Tu Duc died, the tomb was renamed Khiem Lang. The tomb has elaborate architecture, beautiful landscapes and is one of the most beautiful tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty kings.

Dong Khanh Tomb, also known as Tu Lang, is located in the middle of a rural area in Cu Si village, Duong Xuan commune in the past (now Thuong Hai village, Thuy Xuan ward, Hue city). It was formerly Truy Tu Palace, built by King Dong Khanh to worship his father, Kien Thai Vuong. When Dong Khanh fell ill and suddenly passed away, King Thanh Thai (1889-1907) succeeded to the throne in the context of the country facing many difficulties, the economy was exhausted, so he could not build a proper mausoleum for the previous king, so he had to change Truy Tu Palace to Ngung Hy to worship King Dong Khanh.

Duc Duc Tomb, whose Chinese name is An Lang, is located in Tay Nhat village, An Cuu village, formerly Huong Thuy district, now An Cuu ward, Hue city, less than 2 km from the city center; it is the burial place of 3 Nguyen Dynasty kings: Duc Duc, Thanh Thai and Duy Tan. Duc Duc ascended the throne in 1883 for 3 days before being deposed and died. Later, his son, King Thanh Thai (ascended the throne in 1889), built a mausoleum to worship his father, named An Lang. In 1954, when King Thanh Thai passed away, his body was brought back to be buried at the current location in the An Lang area and worshiped in Long An palace. In 1987, King Duy Tan's remains were brought back to be buried next to Thanh Thai's mausoleum.

Khai Dinh Tomb, also known as Ung Lang, is located on the slope of Chau Chu Mountain (also known as Chau E) outside the Hue Citadel. It is the tomb of King Khai Dinh, the 12th king of the Nguyen Dynasty. The tomb was built in 1920, right after Khai Dinh ascended the throne. In terms of architecture, Khai Dinh Tomb is often placed outside the traditional architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty by later generations because of its unusual blend of Eastern and Western architecture, ancient and modern, with unique ceramic mosaic artworks.

Tran Binh Dai is located in the Northeast of Hue Citadel outside Tran Binh Gate, built in the 4th year of Gia Long (1805), at first called Thai Binh Dai, in the 13th year of Minh Mang (1832) it was changed to Tran Binh Dai, popularly known as Mang Ca Fort. This is the 25th fortress of Hue Citadel, a subsidiary citadel of the Citadel, separated from the main citadel by only a common moat. Phu Van Lau is located on the main axis of Hue Citadel in front of Ky Dai, built in 1819 under King Gia Long, used as a place to post important edicts of the king and the court, or the results of examinations organized by the court. In 1829, King Minh Mang used this place as the venue for the elephant and tiger fight, in 1830 he held a 3-day banquet to celebrate his birthday.

The Thuong Bac Palace is located on the southern bank of the Huong River, outside the Thuong Tu Gate, built by King Tu Duc in 1936, at its current location, about 100m from the old Thuong Bac Vien to commemorate the Thuong Bac Vien relic. This is the headquarters to welcome foreign ambassadors. This building is built with new materials such as cement and steel; the octagonal floor, the roof is divided into 2 floors covered with glazed tiles, the structure is elegant, in harmony with the surrounding landscape. The Temple of Literature, also known as the Temple of Literature, is a place to worship Confucius and erect doctoral steles. The temple was officially built in 1808 under the reign of King Gia Long and has a majestic and massive scale, located on the bank of the Huong River, in the territory of An Binh village, An Ninh village, west of Hue Citadel.

The Temple of Martial Arts or the Temple of Martial Arts in Hue was started to be built in September of the year At Mui (1835) under the reign of Minh Mang in An Ninh village, Huong Tra district, on the left side of the Temple of Literature, in front of the Huong River. This is the place to worship and record the names of famous Vietnamese generals, doctors who passed the three martial arts examinations under the Nguyen Dynasty, and also the place to worship some famous Chinese generals.

The Nam Giao Altar of the Nguyen Dynasty was built in 1803, located in An Ninh village, during the reign of King Gia Long. In 1806, the altar was moved to the south of Hue Citadel, on a large hill in Duong Xuan village, now in Truong An ward, Hue city. This is where the Nguyen kings worshiped heaven. The altar was built in the 21st year of Minh Mang (1840) in Hue. This is the place to worship all the mountain gods and river gods of the ancient land of Thua Thien, and is the only remaining altar to worship the mountain and river gods in Vietnam.

Ho Quyen, also known as Ho Khuyen, is located in Truong Da village, Thuy Bieu ward, Hue city; built in the 11th year of Minh Mang (1830), is a tiger cage and a unique arena. Under the Nguyen Dynasty, this was the arena for deadly battles between elephants and tigers to worship the gods during festivals and serve the entertainment needs of the king, mandarins and people. Voi Re Temple is located about 5 km southwest of Hue city center, about 400m from Ho Quyen, in Truong Da village, Thuy Bieu commune, Hue city. Legend has it that during the Trinh - Nguyen conflict, local people held a funeral ceremony and built a tomb for an elephant of a brave general who died in battle, called Voi Re tomb. After ascending the throne, King Gia Long ordered the construction next to the elephant's tomb a shrine called Long Chau Temple to worship the protective gods and a shrine to worship the four bravest elephants in the Nguyen Dynasty's battles. From such legends and historical events, people often call this temple Voi Re Temple.

Hon Chen Temple is located on Ngoc Tran Mountain, in Ngoc Ho Village, Huong Ho Ward, Hue City. Ngoc Tran Mountain was formerly called Huong Uyen Son, then renamed Ngoc Tran (meaning jade cup). People still call it Hon Chen because it is round and neat like an upside-down cup. That is why people often call the temple of the Holy Mother located halfway up the mountain Hon Chen Temple. Hon Chen Temple is where the Cham people used to worship the goddess PoNagar, and later the Vietnamese people following Thien Tien Thanh Giao continued to worship her under the name of Holy Mother Thien YA Na.

Thien Mu Pagoda is a pagoda located on Ha Khe hill, on the left bank of the Perfume River, about 5 km west of Hue city center. Thien Mu Pagoda was officially established in the year Tan Suu (1601), during the reign of Lord Tien Nguyen Hoang, the first Nguyen Lord in Dang Trong. This can be said to be the oldest pagoda in Hue.

Tran Hai Thanh (Sea Citadel) is a citadel used to protect the Nguyen Dynasty capital, built at the eastern gate of Hue citadel, 10 km away by river and 13 km away by road. This sea gate is called Hai Mon - or Eo Gate (Lap Gate). In 1813, Gia Long built Tran Hai Dai and changed the name of Eo Gate to Thuan An Gate. In 1834, King Minh Mang changed the name of Tran Hai Dai to Tran Hai Thanh.

Nghenh Luong Dinh or Nghenh Luong Ta is a structure located on the vertical axis from Ky Dai to Phu Van Lau, built during the reign of King Tu Duc the 5th (1852), used as a resting place for the king before going down to the river to board the dragon boat or as a place to enjoy the cool air.

An Dinh Palace is located on the banks of An Cuu River, formerly in De Bat Ward - Hue City, now at 97 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Hue City, was the private palace of King Khai Dinh from when he was the crown prince until he became king, later inherited by Vinh Thuy and lived here after abdicating.

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