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HUE
Thua Thien - Hue, Royal Citadel,
Forbidden Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda,
Tu Duc Mausoleum, Khai Dinh
Mausoleum, Tu Dam Pagoda,
Perfume River, Phu Cam Cathedral,
Hue Museum of Antiquity, Chan
May Cape And Lang Co Beach
 THUA THIEN -
HUE PROVINCE
Area: 5,009 sq. km Population: 1.045.134
Provincial Capital: Hue CityDistricts: Phong Dien, Quang Dien,
Huong Tra, Phu Vang, Huong Thuy, Phu Loc, Nam Dong, A Luoi.
Economic potentialities: tourism, mineral resources, fishery.
 Thua Thien Hue is located in the northern part of Central
Vietnam. Twenty-four ethnic groups share this province; more
than 96% of the population consists of the Kinh ethnic group.
Other groups include the Ta Oi, Co Tu, and Bru-Van Kieu. The
tropical monsoon climate has no distinct cold and dry season.
The province benefits from approximately 2,000 hours of sunlight
every year. However, this province is also the victim of
numerous typhoons, mostly in September and October. This
province has a high potential for tourism. Famous sites include
Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass, Tam Giang Dyke, as well as several
temples and pagodas, especially in Hue.Hue was once the capital
of the country during both the Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties.
Throughout the centuries, Hue has become a large complex of
architectural relics and picturesque elegance. The UNESCO
recognized it as a World Heritage site The centuries-old capital
of Hue. The land of emperors, 110 km north of Danang city,
comprises a lot of magnificent architectural works such as
mausoleums and tombs, pagodas and temples. Traveling on a boat
along the Perfume river is the best way to enjoy the sights of
Hue. UNESCO has recognized it as a place of World Cultural
Heritage. It is a complex holding the palaces, pavilions, civil
and religious ceremonies and official audiences with the civil
mandarins, chancelleries of the Nguyen officials. The Imperial
City bordered by a wall 600 meters (1,969 feet), on each side
with four gates to the compound surrounded the Forbidden Purple
City that was the royal palace used only by the imperial family
and the concubines and eunuchs who served them.
ROYAL
CITADEL
The Royal Citadel is located on the banks of
the Perfume River. The construction, using exclusively bricks,
of the square citadel started in 1805. The wall is 6 m high, 20
m thick and surrounded by a moat. The citadel has 10 gates: Nha
Do, Sap, Nag, Thong Too, Dong Bad, Key Tray, Haul, An Hoax, Chan
Tay, and Hue gates.
FORBIDDEN
CITADEL
 Constructed early in Emperor Gina Lung's
reign in 1804, it was first called Cung Thanh, City of
Residences, and later renamed Forbidden Purple City by Emperor
Minh Mang in 1822. It is connected with the Imperial Enclosure
by seven gates. Some of the architectural constructions found in
the Forbidden Purple City feature Can Chanh Palace, Ta Huu Vu
(Left and Right Houses), Can Thanh Palace, Khon Thai Residence,
Kien Trung Palace, Royal Library, and Royal Theater
THIEN MU
PAGODA
Situated on Ha Khe Hill near the Perfume
River, Thien Mu Pagoda is 5 km from Hue. The oldest pagoda in
Hue was built by the governor of the city, Nguyen Hoang, in
1601. He had had a vision in which an old woman was telling him
that the site had supernatural powers and that a pagoda should
mark the site. Emperor Thieu Tri later annexed a tower in 1844.
The 7-story, 21-m octagonal tower was built in honor of Nhu Lai
Buddha and The Ton. The pagoda was badly destroyed in 1943
Priest and Thich Don Hau, who managed the pagoda back then,
carried out great renovations that lasted 30 years. The complex
includes two zones: towers are in the front, and temples are in
the back. The 3 temples include Dau Hung, Dia Tang, and Quan The
Am.
TU DUC
MAUSOLEUM
 The majestic and serene mausoleum of Emperor
Tu Duc who ruled from 1848 to 1883 (the longest reign of any
Nguyen monarch), 9 Km south of Hue, was constructed between 1864
and 1867 to use both before and after his death. It is a
perfect, poetical and romantic architectural construction of a
King lived a life of truly imperial luxury.
KHAI
DINH MAUSOLEUM
Located 10 Km south of Hue, Khai Dinh
mausoleum with the architecture completely unlike that of Hue's
other mausoleums and excellent interior decoration is a clever
combination of European and Asia features.
TU DAM
PAGODA
Tu Dam Pagoda is located in Truong An, 2km
south of Hue. A Chinese monk, Minh Hang Tu Dung founded it, at
the end of the 17th century under Le Hy Tong reign. It was
during the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri that the pagoda was given
the name Tu Dam. In the center of the pagoda is a tree that was
grafted from a sacred tree brought to Vietnam by Buddhists from
India in 1936. In 1951, the Buddhist Association Conference was
held at the pagoda. Nowadays, the board of the Buddhist
Association of Thua Thien Hue province is located there.
PERFUME
RIVER (SONG HUONG)
The Perfume River, Huong Giang in Vietnamese,
has two main sources in the Truong Son Mountains: Ta Trach and
Huu Trach rivers.
 The Perfume River is 30 km long and has a slow
current since the water level is almost equivalent to sea level.
The river runs through the verdant villages of Kim Long, Nguyet
Bieu, Vy Da, Dong Ba, Gia Hoi, and Bao Vinh, mingling with the
perfumes of flowers. The blue limpid color of the river looks
like a pearl in the sun. The view on both sides of the river is
magnificent with the citadel, gardens, pagodas, towers, and
temples; their reflection in the water makes the already lovable
river even more poetic and musical. Many people think that Hue
has peaceful, gentle, and tranquil landscapes mostly thanks to
the Perfume River. This river brings a meditative and poetic
character to the city and the harmonious limpidity exhaling from
the ancient and rich culture.
PHU CAM
CATHEDRAL
Phu Cam Cathedral is located in Phuoc Vinh,
in Hue. It was built in a modern architecture and designed by
architect Ngo Viet Duc. In early 1963, the construction of the
cathedral started and was basically completed by 1965. Phu Cam
Cathedral was built using new concepts in which supporting
pillars were attached to the walls and gradually bent ahead.
Three supporting pillars in each corner stretched out to create
a fairly large space for the altar. The interior of the
cathedral was built following classical traditions: 2 rows of
colored-glass windows located in the upper gallery and a holy
cross made of steel and concrete in the middle alley. In one of
the cathedral’s wings is the tomb of former archbishop Philippe
Nguyen Kim Dien (1921-1988) and in the other, an altar to
present the saint. In front of Phu Cam Cathedral are 2 statues:
Saint Phero on the right, and Saint Paulo, on the left.
HUE
MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITY
 The Hue Museum of Antiquity is a gallery
displaying collections of bronze ware, ceramics, chinaware,
furniture, royal costumes, and personal belongings of former
Vietnamese emperors.Now located at 3 Le Truc Street in Hue,
Emperor Thieu Tri built the museum in 1845. The elegant
building, initially called Long An Palace, was dismantled and
rebuilt in 1909 at its present location to serve as the library
and office of the Association of Friends of Old Hue. This
building is a monument of remarkable value. It contains some
wooden panels that are inscribed with poems and essays written
by Emperor Thieu Tri himself.
CHAN
MAY CAPE AND LANG CO BEACH
Leaning against the Truong Son Mountains,
Chan May Cape is in the shape of an enormous crescent. The Cape
is located next to Lang Co Beach, north of the Hai Van Pass. It
is a famous site in the province of Thua Thien Hue since its
beaches are considered to be the nicest in Central Vietnam.Lang
Co Beach is 10 km long with white sand and clean and shallow
waters. The bathing season is from April to the end of July,
with an average temperature of 25oC and 158 sunny hours per
month. Lang Co is a popular destination in the central region.
According to the research of the Institute of Physics and
Hydrology, the seawater in this area is accessible to vessels
exceeding 10 tons. The Vietnamese Government plans to build a
travel harbor in Chan May. This harbor will be a starting point
for tourists. Chan May Harbor along with Dung Quat Industrial
Zone will greatly contribute to the economical development of
Central Vietnam.
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