Hue Imperial City (The Citadel)

As one ofVietnam’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, theHueImperialCityhas long been a must-see attraction for tourists. It was actually a walled fortress and palace belonged to the ancient city ofHuewhich was a capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty for 140 years date back from 1805 until 1945.

The grand architecture was constructed in 1805 and finally completed in 1832, making it the most massive structure being built in the history of modernVietnam.HueImperialCityhas a circumference of 10 kilometers, with the big outer wall 6.6 meters high and 21 meters thick, accompanied by cannons, artilleries and ammunitions. Initially the fortress was built solely by soil, later it was replaced by bricks. Surrounding the city is the complicated canal system served not only as a protection but also as a waterway with nearly seven kilometers.

There are ten main gates leading to the Hue Imperial City, which can be divided into two main parts excluding houses and mansions: The Citadel and The Forbidden City. The former served to protect the important palaces inside while the latter was where the emperor and royal families stayed as well as the court’s workplace. All the typically traditional Eastern architectures including majestic palaces, tombs and museums stand accordantly together to make an utmost amusing attraction right in the heart of Vietnam.