The garden city of Hue, recognized by UNESCO as World's Culture
Heritage
Hue, The World Cultural Heritage most people know of, few have
the opportunities to visit, is the mystical place to many people.
Hue is the only place in Vietnam that bears the stamp of the ancient
citadel with its unique material and non-material culture.
Hue served as Vietnam's capital under the emperors of the Nguyen
Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, and is arguably the most beautiful city
in Vietnam. The city's regal past can still be seen today inside
the walls of the Citadel and the war-ravaged Imperial City.
Both were heavily damaged during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when
the Communists took the city from the South and held it for 3 weeks.
The walls of the Citadel bear witness to the terrible fighting that
went on within and are riddled with shrapnel and bullet holes. Now
thanks to UNESCO funding, much of the City is being faithfully restored
to its former glory. The Imperial City, created in the 19th century
and modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing, has many palaces and
temples inside.
Further echoes of the Imperial age can be found in Hue's surrounding
countryside. Here several of the tombs of former Emperors can be
found. One of the most impressive tombs, that of Emperor Minh Mang,
is set within a beautiful landscaped garden. It is said that it
took 13 years to find an appropriate burial site for the Emperor,
and upon arrival it's not hard to see why they eventually chose
this location. Set on the banks of the Perfume River and surrounded
by beautiful rolling hills it is a tranquil and idyllic place.
A boat trip on the Perfume River is definitely worthwhile. Along
the way stop at the Thien Mu, or Heavenly Lady Pagoda - Hue's unofficial
symbol. Situated 4 km upstream on the banks of the Perfume River,
it is an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back
to 1601. One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging
to a former monk, Thich Quang Duc, who in 1963, drove to Saigon
and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime
and its treatment of Buddhists
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