Hue Things to Do

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This museum can be found to the east of the Forbidden Purple City and features many American tanks and guns that were used during the war. On display are an ARVN M-48 tank, M-113 armoured personnel carrier, M42 Duster, M48 Patton tank, M88 Recovery Vehicle, Cadillac-Gage V-100 armoured car and M107 Self-Propelled Gun. Inside the museum are various small arms and the PAVN version of the Battle of Hue, however, the Massacre at Hue is not mentioned.

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This compound consists of two major temples - the The Mieu, where the cult of the Nguyen emperors is honoured and Hung Mieu, dedicated to the parents of Emperor Gia Long. They were used by the Nguyen court for the death anniversaries of the emperors. Attendance by women including, even, the empress, was forbidden. Constructed early in the 19th century, this area once contained 9 buildings of which only 5 now remain.

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Dating from 1804, this area included about 10 buildings of which two are major temples - the Thai Mieu Temple which honours the cults of the nine Nguyen lords and the Trieu Mieu Temple, dedicated to the first lord Nguyen Hoang's parents.

Dating from 1826, this theatre served to performed traditional operas. Originally constructed of wood, it was remodelled under Khai Dinh (1916-1925). Hue College of Music, later Hue College of Arts, moved to this location from 1962 to 1990.

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The buildings in which the mandarins pre pared for court ceremonies were restored in 1977. The structures are located directly behind Thai Hoa Palace on either side of a courtyard, where there are two gargantuan bronze vac dong (cauldrons) dating from the 17th century.

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Built in 1803, Thai Hoa Palace (Palace of Supreme Harmony) is a spacious hall that you'll see on the far side of a large square after you enter into the Forbidden Purple City. It features an ornate timber roof supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. It was used for the emperor's official receptions and other important court ceremonies, such as anniversaries and coronations. During state occasions the emperor sat on his elevated throne and his mandarins paid homage. Nine stelae divide the two-level courtyard into separate areas for officials in each of the nine ranks of the manuarinate; administrative mandarins stood to one side while the military mandarins stood to the other.

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One of 10 entrances to the city, this southern entrance is the most dynamic. It was the royal entrance, in fact, and was built by Emperor Gia Long in 1833. It was used for important proclamations, such as announcements of the names of successful doctoral candidates (a list still hangs on the wall on the upper floor) and, most memorably, the announcement of the abdication of the last emperor, Bao Dai, on August 13, 1945, to Ho Chi Minh. The gate was badly damaged during the war and has since been restored. it acts as the main entrance gate into the Forbidden Purple City.

Open: 7am-5.30pm. Admission: 55,000 VND.

Located just inside the Citadel ramparts, near the gates to either side of the Flag Tower, the Nine Holy Cannons, symbolic protectors of the palace and kingdom, were cast in 1804 from brass captured from the Tay Son Rebels. Commissioned by Emperor Gia Long, they were never intended to be fired. Each is 5m long, has a bore of 23cm and weighs about 10 tonnes. The four cannons near Ngan Gate represent the four seasons, while the five cannons next to Quang Duc Date represent the five dements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth.