MUSEUM
Ho Chi Minh Museum (Hue Branch)
Ho Chi Minh museum is arranged in a two-story building on Le Loi
Street looking over the lovely Perfume River. Many exhibits and
pictures about the life and revolutionary activities of President
Ho Chi Minh are displayed here, especially introduce the ten years
he lived in Hue. A visit to Ho Chi Minh museum will help tourists
to understand more about the life and the career of President Ho
Chi Minh, the venerable leader of Vietnam, to understand more
about the unlimited esteem of the people of Thua Thien-Hue to
Uncle Ho.
Imperial Museum
The Imperial Museum of Hue is a gallery of antiques displaying
collections of bronze, pottery, chinaware, Phap Lam enamel, court
robes, head-gear and personal belongings of former Vietnam
Emperors. It is a 7-compartment, 2-bay building constructed in the
"double" architecture, originally called the Long An
Palace (Emperor's Security) in the Bao Dinh Residence of Tay Loc
precinct. When French troops took Bao Dinh Residence for their
headquarters in 1885, Long An Palace was removed and materials
were stored. But, in 1909, by order of Emperor Duy Tan, they were
moved to the present-day site (3 Le Truc St.) where was built the
New Library and Office of Association of Friends of Old Hue.
It served later as the Khai Dinh Museum in Emperor Khai Dinh's
time, in 1923. The building (former Long An Palace) housing the
museum is a monument of remarkable value. The Wooden panels are
covered with 35 poems and essays composed by Emperor Thieu Tri.
TOMB
Tomb of Gia Long (1802 - 1819)
The tomb of Gia Long is in fact a group of tombs including those
of the Emperor's relatives. The whole compound is spread on a
joint mountain with 42 small and big mounts, amongst which Dai
Thien Tho is the biggest.
The Emperor's Tomb is located on a flat, big hill. In the
front, Thien Tho Mount forms a natural screen, and in the back
seven hills rise like natural defenses. On the left, 14 peaks form
the "left blue dragons" (Ta Thanh Long), and on the
right, another 14 form the "right white tigers" (Huu
Bach Ho). The tomb complex is composed of three areas:
- In the middle: There are the double-grave tomb of the
Emperor and Queen Thua Thien Cao. Passing the Honor Court,
visitors can see the imposing stone statues. Seven steps of
the worship-yard lead to Buu Thanh on the hill top. Inside Buu
Thanh, the stone double-grave is built according to the
concept of "Can Khon Hiep Duc" a symbol of happiness
and loyalty.
- On the right: The main monument is Minh Thanh Temple,
dedicated to the Emperor and his first Queen. Formerly, it
used to contain many artifacts related to Gia Long's military
life.
- On the left: The main monument is the stele pavilion.
Nowadays, only the stele is left, minutely inscribed with
Emperor Minh Mang's singing of the late Emperor's praises.
Gia Long's tomb is a wonderful picture of nature and
architecture, which provides a superb view of the boundless
mountains and the solitary pine forest.
 Tomb of Tu Duc
Tu Duc's tomb is located in a narrow valley in Duong Xuan Thuong
village (currently Thuong Ba village, Thuy Xuan Commune, Hue
City). It is one of the most beautiful works of royal architecture
of the Nguyen dynasty. The tomb lies in a boundless pine forest, 8
km from Hue.
Its construction started in December 1864 and finished in 1867.
Inside the surrounding wall, about 12 hectares wide, nearly 50
constructions were built on terraces of various levels (about 10
meters difference). All constructions include the word Khiem
(Modesty) in their names. The tomb is divided into two main parts:
the Temple Area and the Tomb Area. Tu Duc's tomb is not only one
of the most beautiful works of the Nguyen dynasty, but it is also
romantic scenery of mounts and lakes.
Tomb of Thieu Tri (1841 - 1847)
Thieu Tri's tomb lies in Chu Chanh village, Thuy Bang commune,
about 8 kilometers from the city. Emperor Tu Duc, son of Emperor
Thieu Tri, had the royal geomancers to seek land for his father's
tomb. On February 11th 1848, the construction started, and 10
months later, it was completed. The tomb can be divided into two
parts: the tomb area and temple area. Thieu Tri's tomb, with its
simple and intimate beauty, leans against the foot of Thuan Dao
Mount. In front of the tomb stretches a flat land with green trees
and rice-fields ranging from the Perfume River's bank up to Lim
Bridge.
 Tomb of Minh Mang (1820 - 1840)
The Tomb is 12 kilometers from Hue, on Cam Ke Mount, near Bang
Lang fork, on the west bank of the Perfume River. Minh Mang's tomb
is a standard architectural complex consisting of 40 constructions
(palaces, temples, pavilions, etc.) designed on a symmetric axis
running from Dai Hong gate to the foot of La Thanh (Surrounding
Wall) behind the Emperor's tomb. The constructions are distributed
into three main parallel axis of which Than Dao path is the
center:
Dai Hong Mon
It is the main gate to enter the tomb. The gate presents three
paths with 24 heaving roofs covered with beautiful decorations.
The gate was opened only once to bring the Emperor's coffin to the
tomb, and had been tightly closed since then. Visitors have to use
the two side-gates Ta Hong Mon (Left Gate) and Huu Hong Mon (Right
Gate).
Bi Dinh
Behind Dai Hong Mon (big gate) is the Honour Courtyard with
its two rows of mandarins, elephants and horses' statues. Bi Dinh
(Stele Pavilion) is on Mount Phung Than. Inside is the stele
"Thanh Duc Than Cong", inscribed with the Emperor's
biography and merits written by his son Thieu Tri.
Besides nearly 60 word boxes of carved poems in the Stele
Pavilion, Hien Duc gate, Sung An Temple, and Minh Pavilion are
also remarkable and constitute an anthology of chosen poems of
Vietnam's early 19th century. Visiting Minh Mang's tomb, one is
impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural
constructions.
TEMPLE &
PAGODA & CHURCH
 Thien Mu Pagoda
The pagoda is situated on Ha Khe hill, on the left bank of the
Perfume River, in Huong Long village, 5 kilometers from Hue city.
It was built in 1601, and then Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan had it
renovated in 1665. In 1710, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu had a great bell
cast (2.5m high, 3.285kg) and in 1715, he had a stele (2.58 m
high) erected on the back of a marble tortoise.
Several kings of the Nguyen Dynasty such as Gia Long, Minh Mang,
Thieu Tri and Thanh Thai, all had the pagoda restored. Phuoc Duyen
tower (at first called Tu Nhan tower) was erected in 1884 by King
Thieu Tri. This octagonal tower has seven stories (2m high). Dai
Hung shrine, the main-hall, presents a magnificent architecture.
As well as bronze cast statues, it shelters some precious
antiques: the bronze gong cast in 1677, the wooden gilded board
with Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu's inscriptions (1714). On both sides of
the pagoda are a room for the bonzes and a guest-room for
visitors.
The pagoda is surrounded by flowers and ornamental plants. At
the far end of the garden stretches a calm and romantic pine-tree
forest. The pagoda was heavily damaged in 1943. Bonze Thich Don
Hau hence organized a great renovation of the pagoda that lasted
for more than 30 years. Nowadays the pagoda is very
well-maintained and very welcoming to all visitors.
Dieu De Pagoda
The pagoda is located at 100 Bach Dang Street, Phu Cat district,
in Hue city. It was built by King Thieu Tri in 1844 on the
platform (5,000m2) of his old residence, where he was born in
1807. The pagoda was constructed on a large scale, but was badly
damaged during the successive wars. In 1889, Bonze Tam Truyen was
granted fund by King Thanh Thai to restore the pagoda, but once
again, it was badly damaged during a storm, in 1904. The present
construction was made in 1953. The pagoda includes a main
sanctuary with two statues of the Eight Vajra Deities. Behind the
pagoda are a guest-room and a kitchen. In the courtyard stand a
stele house and a bell tower. The two-story entrance gate is
topped with Dhamma Guardian's pavilion. Located between Dong Ba
and Gia Hoi Bridge, the pagoda attracts many visitors. Dieu De was
the third site listed by King Thieu Tri in the 20 beauty spots of
Hue.
 Tu Dam Pagoda
Tu Dam pagoda is one of the biggest pagodas in Hue. The pagoda was
founded at the end of the 17th century (in about 1695) by the
Venerable Minh Hoang Tu Dung, a Chinese who belonged to the 34th
sect of the Lam Te school of Zen. He was the high-ranking monk who
taught and gave the certification to monk Lieu Quan, the Buddhist
initiator of Vietnam in the South. Tu Dam pagoda is now in the
district of Truong An, on a beautiful piece of land: high, wide
and flat. The pagoda is only 2 kilometers from the center of Hue
city, along Dien Bien Phu Street, across Nam Giao Bridge up to the
end of the first slope. The pagoda has a south-east orientation.
Kim Phung Mount in the front is served as a natural wind-screen.
Linh Quang pagoda and the temple dedicated to respectable patriot
Phan Boi Chau stand on the left, and Thien Minh pagoda, in the
back.
Tu Dam is neither the biggest nor the oldest pagoda in the
country, but it is famous and nationally known for its important
role in the process of development of Buddhism, and the struggle
for peace and for freedom of religion. Tu Dam pagoda was designed
following the model of a conference pagoda (Chua Hoi). The old and
new architectures blend together, creating spacious and harmonious
elements. The three main parts of the pagoda are the three
entrance gate, the main sanctuary and the conference House.
Tu Hieu Pagoda
The pagoda is located at Duong Xuan Thuong III hamlet, in Thuy
Xuan village, 5 kilometers southwest of Hue. It faces the
southeast and uses Ngu Binh Mount as a front screen. The pagoda
was originally a small hut built by Nhat Dinh in 1843, who was
formerly recognized by royal authority as the monk of Giac Hoang
Pagoda. In 1848, the pagoda was restored by monk Cung Ky with the
help of the king's eunuchs and courtiers. Tu Hieu hence became a
large pagoda.
In 1894, it was rebuilt by Cuong Ky with the support of King
Thanh Thai and the King's eunuchs created the half-moon lake. In
1962, the pagoda was renovated by Most Ven Chon Thiet. And in 1971
the three entrance gates and the staff houses were rehabilitated
by senior monk Chi Niem. The pagoda was built in the shape of the
Chinese character "Khau" (mouth), with the main building
consisting of three rooms and two wings. The main sanctuary is
devoted to the worship of Buddha. Behind, there is a room honoring
former monks of the pagoda. Across a courtyard, the Quang Hieu
Duong Hall houses an altar dedicated to local Buddhist devotees on
the right, another to the deity Quan Cong in the center, and a
third to the eunuchs on the left. A separate altar in this hall
honors Le Van Duyet, an outstanding mandarin during the reign of
Emperor Gia Long. On the left side of the courtyard is the living
quarters of the monks (Ta Lac Thien) and to Tu Hieu right is the
guest-house (Huu Ai Nhat).
The entrance gate to the pagoda is a curved two-story
structure. On the second story, a statue of the guardian spirit Ho
Phap protects the pagoda. Inside the gate is a crescent-lotus
pond. On both sides of the courtyard are stele houses engraved
with the history of the pagoda.
Phu Cam Main Cathedral
Situated at Phuoc Vinh, Hue City, the Phu Cam Main Cathedral was
built with modern architecture, designed by the architect Ngo Viet
Duc. In early 1963, the construction of the cathedral was built.
To 1967 only the Saint Palace was built and then to 1965, the
cathedral was basically completed. Phu Cam Cathedral was built by
new concept of physical structure. Supporting pillars were
concreted closely attached to the walls and gradually and supplely
bended ahead. The three supporting pillars at each of four corners
stretch out and create a fairly large space to embrace the whole
of Saint Palace and Saint Altar.
The interior of the cathedral was built following classical
tradition with Latin Holy Cross and two opening doors. There are
two row of color glass windows located in the upper interior of
the cathedral and in the middle, there is a Holy Cross made of
steel and concrete. The Saint Palace is a round shape with foot
steps and on the top there is a smaller round shape with the altar
made of marble bloc. Temporary house was closely built to the
backstage of the cathedral fitted in the concave part behind and
settled on a high platform in the center. In the two wings of the
crucifix, there is the tomb of the former archbishop Philipe
Nguyen Kim Dien (1921-1988) in the left and in the opposite right
- the altar for presenting the Saint.
In front of the Phu Cam Main Cathedral, there are two moulding
statues: the Saint Phero is in the right, and the left is Saint
Paulo and other missionaries of the Phu Cam diocese. The
open-space of Phu Cam Main Cathedral looks like an
opening-mouth-dragon and in general Phu Cam Cathedral with its top
perpendicularly stretching to the sky is very purified and full of
artistic and religious characters.
THANH TOAN
TILE - ROOFED BRIDGE
The Thanh Toan Tile-Roofed Bridge crosses a canal flowing from
the beginning to the end of Thanh Toan village, Thuy Thanh
Commune, Huong Thuy district at present. The village is about 8
kilometers from Hue city on the eastward.
Thanh Thuy village was established in the 16th century. The
tile-roofed Thanh Toan is an arched wooden bridge, 17m long and 4m
wide. On both sides of the bridge length are 2 rows of wooden flat
form and parapets for people to lean their backs. The bridge is
roofed with tubes. A researcher into Vietnamese ancient aesthetics
- Louis Bezacier - classified Thanh Toan a rare and the most
aesthetically valuable bridge among those of Vietnam. In the first
half of the 20th century, there were the two most famous bridges
of this style Phuc Toai and Phu Khe in the north, Thanh Toan in
Hue and Nhat Ban (i.e. Lai Vien Kieu, also called Chua Cau) in Hoi
An. The roofs of the bridges in the north are made of flat tiles,
in the center are made of tube tiles. |
