Hue Imperial City and Citadel, Hue, Vietnam

hue citadel gate
The top of a gate piece. Most of the accompanying gate was destroyed.

The Hue Imperial City and citadel, built by the Vietnamese emperors in the early 19th Century, was severely damaged in Vietnam's two wars of the 20th Century. In 1947 against the French, and again in 1968 against the Americans, the center of Hue was the site of ferocious battles. The citadel area once held over 140 buildings. Only about 20 remain after extensive restoration since the 1990s. Most buildings were completely destroyed in the fighting and cannot be restored.

hue citadel war memorial
The war memorial outside the gate to Hue Citadel.
hue citadel bronze urns
A line of bronze urns inside a courtyard.
hue citadel ceramic window grill detail
Window grill detail in one of the rew remaining buildings.
hue citadel roofline decoration 3
Roofline decoration.
hue citadel roofline decoration 2
More roofline decoration.
hue citadel dragon on roof
Dragon decoration on a roof.
hue citadel main palace ruins
Main palace ruins, Hue Citadel.
hue citadel gallery ceiling
Royal gallery ceiling.
hue citadel roof decoration
Another roofline.
hue citadel wall decoration
Outside wall decoration.
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