Complex of Hue Monuments Hue Imperial City

Construction of the Imperial City started in 1805, under the reign of Emperor Gia Long, and was completed in 1832, under the reign of Emperor Minh Mang. Built on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the Imperial City was influenced by the style of French architect Vauban. The city comprises three sections: the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Enclosure and the Forbidden Purple City.

 

Royal Citadel Enclosure: The outermost boundary of the citadel has a perimeter of 9,950 m. The citadel has ten entrances: Nha Do Gate, Sap Gate, Ngan Gate, Thuong Tu Gate, Dong Ba Gate, Ke Trai Gate, Hau Gate, An Hoa Gate, Chanh Tay Gate, and Huu Gate

 
Imperial Enclosure (Hoang Thanh): The Imperial Enclosure of Complex of Hue Monuments Hue Imperial City is the second rampart with a perimeter of 2,450m. It is accessible through four gates: Ngo Mon to the south, Hoa Binh (Peace Gate) to the north, Hien Nhon (Humanity) to the east, and Chuong Duc (Virtue) to the west. Ngo Mon is the main entrance gate to the city and was formerly reserved for the passage of kings. 

 

Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh): The third and innermost fort of the royal complex has a perimeter of 1,225m and is accessible through seven gates. It was formerly reserved for the private use of the kings and their families, as well as the numerous concubines. The Forbidden Purple City is almost isolated from the outside world. Located inside the three high ramparts and deep moats, is a large cluster of smaller structures built along a main axis that runs from south to north. The first structure is Ky Dai (Flag Tower). It is followed by Ngo Mon Gate, Dai Trieu Nghi Yard, Thai Hoa Palace, Can Chanh Palace, Khon Thai Palace, Kien Trung Palace and Hoa Binh (Peace) Gate.

Ngo Mon (Gate): This three-story structure is 58m long, 27.5m wide, 17m high, and serves as the main entrance to the Imperial City. Ngo Mon comprises five gates, with the central gate being reserved for the kings only. The two adjacent gates were exclusively for court officials, and the two other outer gates were used for servants and members of the royal entourage. On top of the arch is the Five Phoenix Pavilion where the king sat during festivities. This was also where ceremonies were organized to announce the names of successful candidates of royal examinations. During the reign of the Nguyen Kings, Ngo Mon was only opened when the kings were passing by or receiving foreign ambassadors.
 

Palace of Supreme Harmony (Dien Thai Hoa): Thai Hoa Palace was built in 1805 according to 19th century architectural designs for palaces and temples. It is composed of two buildings, the anterior palace and the main palace, which are joined together. This is where the golden throne of the king is located. Thai Hoa Palace was the most important building of the capital used for important court ceremonies.

Dynastic Temple (The Mieu): This was one of the many shrines and temples dedicated to the kings and royal members of the Nguyen Dynasty. It was built in 1921 to worship King Gia Long and was later used to worship his successors as well. Up to now ten kings are worshipped in The Mieu. The Mieu is comprised two separate halls, each furnished with an ornamented bed made of ironwood and covered with golden glaze and red lacquer, an altar, funerary tablets and precious military weapons used for worshipping purposes. This was where the court organized grand funeral services headed by the late king's successor. The Temple is said to be the largest shrine of this kind ever built in Viet Nam.
 

Nine Dynastic Urns: The Nine Dynastic Urns were cast between 1835 and 1837, and weigh between 1,900 to 2,601kg each. The whole row of urns represents the power and stability of the Nguyen Dynasty. These urns are the greatest achievements of the 19th century bronze casting in Viet Nam. Traditional ornamentation was chiselled on the sides of the urns, each dedicated to a particular emperor. The 17 designs, based on classic motifs, include the sun, the moon, clouds, mountains, rivers, and scenes from everyday life. Many consider the nine urns to be a real encyclopedia of the landscapes, farm products, and animals of Viet Nam.
 

Pavilion of Splendour (Hien Lam): Hien Lam Pavilion is a memorial pavilion built to remind younger generations of the merits and contributions of members of the Nguyen Dynasty. Like the Nguyen Kings who were worshipped in The Mieu, other memorable people and mandarins were worshipped in the two halls located on either side of Hien Lam Pavilion. Hien Lam Pavilion was built within the site of The Mieu and was made of wood. The three-story building, which is 25m high, is the tallest building in the whole Imperial Enclosure.
 

Royal Residence (Cung That): Cung That was reserved for the private use of kings and their families. This area was an important component of the Hue Imperial City, which included several palaces: Can Chanh Palace (King's Residence), Khon Thai Palace (Queen's Residence), Dien Tho Palace (King's mother's Residence), and Truong Sinh Palace (King's paternal grandmother's Residence). Unfortunately, most of the palaces were destroyed in the wars, with the exception of the Dien Tho and Truong Sinh Palaces.
 

Dien Tho Palace was built in 1804. A special feature of this architectural structure is the roofed corridor that links Dien Tho Palace to the king's residence to facilitate the King's visits to his mother. It was restored as its old design.

 

Complex of Hue Monuments Hue Imperial City.

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Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Being an inspiration sources for many poets, artists, painters, musicians… Hanoi’s Old Quarter is not only a unique beauty of Hanoi, but also one of best highlight for tourist when they visit Hanoi.

 

Hanoi’s Old Quarter have a fixed region as Hang Dau Street in the North; Phung Hung Street in the West; Hang Bong Street, Hang Gai Street, Cau Go Street and Hang Thung Street in the North; and Tran Quang Khai Street and Tran Nhat Duat Street in the East. Old Quarter has been appeared in the 11th century when King Ly Thai To leaved Ninh Binh Province to Hanoi as a new country’s capital, therefore the streets has a long history and became crowded & lively in 15th century.

 

So far, it is still the oldest continuously developed area of Vietnam, and the walking street and night market are also open here. Beside, having another name as Hanoi 36 Streets, Hanoi’s Old Quarter is including 36 Old Streets where each street took a commercial product: drums, silk, hat, rattan, etc because in the pass the seller scame together in the same area in capital for selling and sharing the resources. As an example, Pho Hang Giay (Shoes), Pho Hang Non (Hat), Pho Hang Muoi (Salt)…that the streets have a same name of the products sold there. In addition, at that time, the King issued a regulation that "each citizen’s houses could not be built higher than his ". As a result, the entire house is too narrow, small and great length that maybe only one person can pass.

In the Vietnam War period, Hanoi was destroyed so much, but the Old Quarter still retained a lot of the original features that attracts tourists. Today, many of the streets does not sell the products which they were named, some still do. Hanoi’s Old Quarter sometime give alittle untidy, little unclean, little chaotic images, but that is making a real Hanoi. The old time, the old colonial architecture … is still there. That makes ourHanoi’s Old Quarter charming in its own unique way.

Source: vietnamtripadvisor.net

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Trinh Tuong Houses In Lao Cai Vietnam

Located in the mountainous commune of Bat Xat District in Lao Cai province, Y Ty is known for its misty beauty.

Known for its stunning mountainous scenery, Y Ty attracts visitors eager to explore the rich cultures of the ethnic minority groups who live in its mighty mountains. In the early spring, Y Ty looks especially beautiful. I was eager to explore the unique clay Trinh Tuong houses built by ethnic Ha Nhi people.

Trinh Tuong houses resemble giant mushrooms overshadowed by mountains. Faced with a harsh climate, this region's ancient people were highly creative. Living closely to nature, they used local materials to build ingenious dwellings. The architecture of Trinh Tuong houses reveals their creators' harmony with nature. Their construction adds a distinct charm to the rural landscape. Thick clay walls hold warmth in the winter and are cool in the summer. The earthen walls are 40 to 45 cm thick and measure four to five meters high. Originally, the roofs of Trinh Tuong houses were made of straw, which shone brightly in the sunshine.

To build a Trinh Tuong house takes several months. Ha Nhi builders must carefully choose and mine the best type of clay. The correct rituals must be performed on blessed days and religious sacrifices made to pray for good fortune. A Trinh Tuong house is built on a flat plot of around 40 to 50 square meters. The foundation is not deep, but is reinforced with mountain stones overlaid with wooden boards. After the foundation is made, clay is pounded to make the walls. The clay is sticky mountainous soil that is put into molds and pounded until it is glue-like and malleable. After being removed from the molds, this clay will retain its shape. One layer of the mold measures about 40 cm. This first layer is followed by a second one. The clay in the second layer is pounded until it is seamlessly attached. It takes a month and five or six layers of molds to make the walls.

Trinh Tuong houses lack corbels, but have indoor frames and supporting wooden pillars. The roof is made of thatched straw reinforced with cement sheets. The main door is at the center and side doors lie on the far left or right. The doors are small and resemble ventilation holes when seen from afar. The houses are square, unlike the rectangular homes of the Hmong people. The outer and inner clay walls are pounded and smoothed. There is a supporting wall inside the house opposite the entry door. This serves as a partition between the bedrooms and the kitchen.

Ha Nhi people take great pride in their homes. Every year in the early spring or after the harvest, they set out to build new houses to replace their old, worn ones. Although modern touches are inevitable, the basic Trinh Tuong architecture remains unchanged. The landscape in the commune remains tranquil. It is a beautiful sight to see mist swirling over a cluster of Trinh Tuong houses on a far-off mountain.

Trinh Tuong Houses In Lao Cai Vietnam.

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