Cities and regions／Vietnam
City or town ·

Hue

Huế was Vietnam’s capital under the Nguyễn dynasty and preserves a heritage complex spread across the Imperial City, tombs, pagodas and the Perfume River. The city is best understood by combining the citadel with two contrasting mausoleums.

Ngọ Môn Gate, entrance to the Imperial Citadel of Huế.
Photo by shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
The place

What makes it special

  • Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City, with palaces, courtyards and shrines.
  • Minh Mạng, Tự Đức or Khải Định tombs, selected for their differences.
  • The relationship between architecture, the Perfume River and the surrounding landscape.
Entrance to the Minh Mạng Tomb in Huế, Vietnam.
Photo by Minh Lê Source: Pexels Licence: Pexels License
Mosaics and staircase at Khải Định Tomb in Huế
Photo by dronepicr Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Hue

Guides to this place

1 article

Hue

Viajalo Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Ngọ Môn Gate, entrance to the Imperial Citadel of Huế.

Huế’s Imperial City and the Tombs of the Nguyễn Dynasty

The Imperial City is the starting point, not the whole story, of Huế. This guide offers a way to choose tombs, timing and transport in order to understand a political, ritual and funerary landscape spread along the Perfume River.

Read guide →
Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 13/09/2026