From 1802 Hue, pronounced ‘hway’, use to be the capital of Vietnam due to its central location between the North and South. Even though things have now changed, it is still a place to visit whilst in Vietnam with its historic heritage filling most corners of the city.
The palaces and temples which once stood at the heart of a Hue have mostly been destroyed during the American War, but with fundings fro abroad, restoration work has begun to help return Hue to its ‘royal splendour’!
Most of the attractions to visit in Hue can be found in the citadel. The fortified citadel was built between 1804-1833 by the past emperors as a form of protection indicated by the surrounding 2m thick walls and 30m wide moat.
The citadel is divided into areas depending on use;The emperor’s residence ( Imperial enclosure) can be found at the heart of the citadel with the religious temples on one side and the residences and gardens on the other.
Just outside Hue, there are numerous tombs from past emperors that line the Perfume River. As time was limited in Hue we weren’t able to go and visit these, however there are many tour operators offering day trips to see them.
