Imperial citadel

Often referred to as ‘ancient’, Hue’s Citadel is comparatively modern in European terms. Built over thirty years in the early part of the 19th century, the Citadel encompasses three ‘courts’ covering a total of 6 km
The outer court within the massive brick walls, ten metres thick in places, is mainly open space and gardens.
Despite more than fifty years of decay and attrition, the Citadel is still imposing, and recent renovation work has restored several of its buildings to their previous glory. In front of the Hien Cam Lac, an elegant three-storey pavilion, are nine large bronze urns, each dedicated to one of the Nguyen Emperors, the largest being that of Gia Long, builder of the citadel and founder of the empire.