Hue

The Citadel
The Citadel is a massive fortress built in the 17^th century. This huge and magnificent monument was designed combining the concepts of Chinese geomancy and the military principles of the French architect Sébastien de Vauban. This resulted in precious palaces and beautiful temples elegantly integrated between walls, ramparts and moats, in total harmony.

The size of the outside walls and their 10 gates is very impressive. They protected three enclosures: the Imperial City, the city for the general population and the Forbidden City. Gates, temples, palaces, pavilions, and other buildings are many of the places of interest to be visited in the Citadel.

The Royal Tombs
The emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 - 1945) were buried in large imperial tombs located in the outskirts of the city. Despite the fact that there were 13 Nguyen kings, there are only seven graves, including those of emperors Tu Duc, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh, the most remarkable ones. All the tombs are surrounded by a large domain with lakes and ponds, temples and various monuments.

Thien Mu Pagoda
Thien Mu is the most iconic pagoda along the Perfume River. It was originally founded in 1601, but has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Its octagonal 7-story tower is the tallest religious building in Vietnam. The complex also offers other sites worth visiting, such as a stele dating from 1715 set on the back of a marble turtle, or the car that drove monk Thich Quang Duc down to Saigon, where his self-immolation took place and was a sign of protest against the violations of religious freedom under the regime of President Ngo Dinh Diem.

Thanh Toan Bridge
The tile-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge is an arched wooden structure built in the 18^th century across a canal in Thuy Thanh village. Louis Bezacier, a researcher in Vietnamese ancient aesthetics, classified Thanh Toan Brige as rare and as the most aesthetically valuable bridge in Vietnam. In the first half of the 20^th century, there were two other similar bridges in the North, Phuc Toai and Phu Khe (in addition to Thanh Toan Bridge in Hue and Nhat Ban Bridge in Hoi An, still standing today). The roofs of the bridges in the North were made of flat tiles, while those in the Center are made of concave tiles.

The Music of the Royal Court (Nha Nhac)
Nha Nhac, meaning "elegant music", refers to various styles of music and dance performed at the Vietnamese Royal Court from the 15^th century to the first half of the 20^th century. It opened and closed the ceremonies usually held to celebrate anniversaries, religious holidays, coronations, funerals and official receptions. Of all the musical genres that have emerged in Vietnam, only the Nha Nhac can claim to have a national scope and strong links with the traditions of other countries in Southeast Asia. Nha Nhac performances gathered many singers, dancers and musicians dressed in sumptuous costumes. The huge orchestras, which were dominated by the drums, included many other types of percussion, as well as wind and string instruments. All performers had to stay extremely focused to follow all the steps of the ritual.

Nha Nhac first appeared during the Le dynasty (1427-1788) and was later institutionalized and codified under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). It was a symbol of the power and longevity of the dynasty, and quickly became a fundamental element of many royal ceremonies. Its role was not limited to musical accompaniment during solemnities of the court: it was also a way to communicate with Gods and Kings, to honor them and to spread knowledge about nature and the universe.

Gastronomy in Hue
Hue has a rich culinary heritage and a refined gastronomic culture. To Hue inhabitants, the “pleasures of the table” forms something really considered as an art, a culture, a philosophy of life, or to put it simply, a way of life! Hue’s cuisine has common features with that of South-East Asia. According to Dr. Nguyen Nha, director of the Vietnam Gastronomy Research Institute, "it is representative of the rice culture in the tropical region, with the dough made from this grain, with glutinous rice, seafood dishes, harmonious natural flavors and tastes (acid, spicy, bitterness, salty, sweet)”. According to another data, Vietnam has around 1,700 recognized meals, with 1,300 of those having origins dating back to the era of Hue’s imperial city. Today, there are still 700 Hue dishes, divided into three categories: cuisine from the royal court, popular cuisine and vegetarian cuisine.

Hue’s cuisine is characterized by the high technical degree in the preparation of every dish and by the sophisticated cooking. In other words, people from Hue do not only eat to fill their stomachs, but also to please their eyes and mind. The banquets of the royal court are reputed for their well-researched presentation, offering refined dishes with the best ingredients for a good health and for subtle perfume and taste. Rice with mussels, a local dish well-anchored into Hue’s gastronomy, perfectly expresses the sophisticated and creative nature of the local cuisine. To the rice and mussels, the main ingredients of the dish, a dozen more are added, including a salad of finely chopped young banana tree trunks, mint leaves, carambola slices and boiled sprout beans. Also introduced are browned peanuts, chili jelly, fried strips of pork skin, fish sauce (nuoc mam), sesame and MSG. As a result, rice with mussels has become a popular dish and a typical Hue specialty.

Highlights:

• Hue’s historic heritage
• The countryside and the crafts
• Hue’s cuisine: vegetarian cooking class in the heart of a pagoda