Hue'

Imperial City of Hue'

After a day at sea, today we reach the imperial city of Hue', home to the kings of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. We spent most of the morning inside the citadel built between 1805 and 1832. The Citadel was of French design. Within the Citadel was Vietnam's version of the Forbidden City (in Beijing). This was the residence of all thirteen kings during this era. The city was 70% destroyed between the battles in 1945 and the 1967 Tet Offensive. It is slowly being restored with an expected completion in 2025. The palace was built according to Feng Shui with a balance between water, winds and the mountains. After passing through the main gate, we came to the Harmony Palace or audience room. The red and yellow colors of royalty abounded. Throughout the grounds were brass urns commemorating victories as well as serving as a source of water in case of fire. Throughout are figures of dragons, symbolizing the power of the king. When we came to the queen's quarter's we encountered the symbol of the Phoenix.
Our next stop was Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda built in 1601. It is seven stories high, representing the seven steps of Buddha's enlightment. On one side was a turtle bearing a plaque and on the other, a huge bell with a water monster on top. In the back was a monastery with the tomb of the monk who built the pagoda.

Heavenly Pagoda

After a delicious Vietnamese lunch at the Century Hotel featuring pancakes with peanut sauce and spring rolls, we went to Tu Duc Tomb. This is the tomb of the fourth king of Vietnam, but not only was it his tomb, it was his residence for 16 years, since he was very long-lived. It was a beautiful place with waterways, a tea house, the king's residence, and the tomb. Thought it appears that his body was hidden elsewhere.
A long, but interesting day.

Tu Duc Tomb Grounds