Hue – Imperial City

The imperial city of Hue in Vietnam gained importance in the 17th century when it became the capital of the kingdom of the Nguyen Lords, a Vietnamese feudal dynasty that succeeded in controlling the south of the country. Its significance grew even further in the 18th century when it became the capital of the entire country, reunified under the reign of Gia Long. Its fortunes ended in 1945 with the establishment of the first communist regime, which moved the capital to Hanoi. Due to its position on the border between South Vietnam and North Vietnam, the city suffered heavily from the consequences of the war, inflicted by both American and Vietnamese forces. After several decades of neglect, in recent times—as a result of increased government attention to the tourism industry—parts of the historic city have been restored; since 1993, the imperial city has been included in the list of UNESCO protected sites.

Brief History

Hue was born in 1802 when a certain self-crowned Emperor Gia Long ordered the construction of a citadel as the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty, which he founded and which lasted until 1945. The city developed around this citadel on the banks of the Huong (Perfume) River. In 1885, the French occupied and plundered the citadel, burning the library and installing a new emperor favorable to them after Emperor Ham Nghi rebelled against their use of the Gulf of Tonkin. Until 1945, a succession of emperors followed, but without any real international power.

An initial outer wall, surrounded by a moat, encloses the town center and several lakes, accessible only through one of many narrow gates. Facing the river stands the tallest flagpole in Vietnam, and immediately behind the main entrance lies the Imperial Compound—a grand gateway with a viewing terrace from which the emperor would appear in public. Beyond lily ponds is the throne and celebration hall, followed by the offices of the mandarins, the imperial officials. Even further inside is the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his wives, concubines, and eunuch servants had access.

In reality, not much remains aside from ruins under restoration and grassy lawns. In fact, in 1968, Hue was occupied by North Vietnamese forces for three weeks and purged of at least 2,500 people hostile to the National Liberation Front. Since the Southern army could not retake the city, the Americans arrived with the order “to destroy the city to save it,” followed by bombings and napalm. It appears that among the North, South, Americans, and civilians, the battle caused 10,000 deaths and destroyed almost the entire imperial complex.