Hue Imperial City (Forbidden Purple City) is the most impressive attraction in the city of Hue. A small city tucked across Hai Van Pass in Central Vietnam, Hue is also sometimes referred as the cultural capital of Vietnam for the rich culture and heritage that it holds elegantly.
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History of Hue Imperial City
Hue was the capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty who ruled unified Vietnam 1789 onwards. Hue’s Citadel, built from 1804 to 1833, remained the center of power and political affairs till 1880 when French set up their control over Vietnam. Its power existed till 1945 with symbolic traditions when finally Nguyen Dynasty was ousted. Spread across 36.3 hectares, Imperial City has 4 gates across its four sides.
During Vietnam war bombings, many of the structures of imperial city were destroyed and you could see their remains inside the Citadel complex. Out of 160 structures, only 10 major sites remain now due to loss in these battles.
Pictures of Hue Imperial City Sites
Here are the main sites of the Imperial City and pictures that I captured during my visit to Hue Citadel –
Flag Tower Hue
You can see the Flag tower from even a far off distance –
Thua Thien Hue History Museum
Right next to Citadel is the Thua Thien Hue History Museum which brilliantly highlights Hue’s history, especially Vietnam war history. You can see huge tanks, planes and jets on display in the courtyard of the museum.
Inside Hue Citadel
More that its architectural and heritage value, Hue Imperial City offers a salient walk through its past. Big courtyards, long corridors, remains of structures, green grounds and old tombs tucked on a raised platform, you can spend hours here walking through this vast complex. Here are pictures from my walk inside Hue Citadel.
Imperial City Hue Entrance Fee
Entrance Fee is VND 3,00,000. Entrance Fee for Thua Thien Hue History Museum is VND 30,000 VND.
Imperial City Hue Dress Code
There is no specific dress code for Imperial City. However, whenever you go to any temples in Vietnam, you should not wear your caps and hats. Also, you are supposed to wear full pants and cover your shoulders. For me, I was in my shorts and when requested, guards easily allowed me in. However, as a mark of respect, please follow dress code.
Hue Citadel at Night
Hue Citadel sparkles with glittering lights post dusk. Take a moment to pause, inhale those vibes and enjoy Hue Citadel with those lights.
We hope our blog helps you plan your trip to the city of Hue in Vietnam and one of its top attractions, Hue Citadel. In case, you have more information to share or need any inputs to plan your trip, please drop us comments below. We would be glad to help you.