1. The overview about Tu Duc Tomb
Hue city is famous with royal palaces and architectures in central region of Vietnam. There are many impressive royal landmarks which you definitely can not miss out. Being as an ancient capital during 143 years by 13 kings in Nguyen dynasty, Hue has left many fascinating historical landscapes for visitors. Meanwhile visiting royal tombs is a must do list for worldwide travelers. Nowadays, Hue consists 7 main royal tombs of the kings. You can select one or two of them for your discovery. Our travel advice is exploring Tu Duc Tomb due to the history and architectures.
Tu Duc Tomb is located in Le Ngo Cat Street, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue city. Being away 6km to 7km from the heart of Hue city, it is easy to reach the attraction by various of transportations such as motorbikes, cars, taxies, and bicycles. The travel duration takes from 20 – 40 minutes to your desired attraction.
2. Entrance Fee and openning hours at Tu Duc Tomb
In order to visit Tu Duc Tomb, you have to purchase the entrance fee. The price of the ticket is 150,000 VND/ adult and 30,000 VND/ child. Additionally, you should pay attention to the openning hours which are from 7:30am to 5:30pm daily.
3. Tu Duc King Biography
Tu Duc King is the fourth king in Nguyen Dynasty. He was one of the extraordinary emperors during the royal period in Hue city. Tu Duc ruled the country for 36 years, from 1847 to 1883. He is known as the longest-reigning monarch of the Nguyen Dynasty. During the time he was on the throne, many international and domestic conflicts happened in the country. He faced many challenges to lead the nation during the hard times.
Tu Duc (1829-1883), the fourth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, is known for his intellectual legacy, particularly his poems, and for the Tu Duc Tomb, a large architectural complex he designed as his palatial retreat and future burial site. His reign (1847-1883) coincided with the beginning of French colonial expansion in Vietnam, and he was forced to cede territory and open ports to international trade.
He was known for his love of literature and poetry, and he wrote extensively, leaving behind a significant collection of poems and other writings. Tu Duc designed his own mausoleum, a vast complex of buildings, courtyards, and a lake, which now stands as a testament to his architectural vision and personal retreat.
Although the king had 104 wives but Tu Duc did not have any children and he was always ill; so that he decided to flee the non-market, such obstacles. After Tu Duc King, he chose the nephew became the next emperor when he passed away.
4. The history to build Tu Tuc Tomb
Tu Duc began planning his tomb long before his death in 1883. The major portions of the tomb complex were completed from 1864 to 1867, along with future temple buildings that served as a palatial retreat for Tu Duc and his many wives during his lifetime. Covering an area of 20 hectares, the Royal Tomb of Tu Duc accommodates 50 structures surrounded by a 1,500 m long wall.
Being surround by pine trees and river, Tu Duc Tomb is peaceful and fresh to all visitors. Coming to this attraction, tourists will admire the beauty and idea of the emperor’s tomb. People had to work hard to build such a masterpiece for the tourism industry nowadays. The tomb showed clearly the love for nature of our emperor.
A trip to Tu Duc tomb is not only to learn about the king but also his wives and queen mother. The story of royal family is interesting to discover. Tu Duc Tomb was totally completed in 3 years by local labors. Nowadays, it’s a highlight destination to international and domestic tourists.
5. What to see at Tu Duc Tomb
5.1. Luu Khiem Lake
To access tomb of Tu Duc, visitors will follow a brick-tiled walkway, which begins at Vu Khiem Gate and leads all the way to Khiem Cung Gate. In front of Khiem Cung Gate is a placid lake called Luu Khiem.
Originally a small stream, this man-made lake was believed by the late emperor to be a source of merit. During summer, the water is covered with pink shades of lotus, and there is no better place to take in the beauty of Vietnam’s national flower.
At the heart of the lake, you can see Tinh Khiem Islet. Tu Duc Emperor grew many rare species of flowers on this island, and some are still thriving to this day. Luu Khiem Lake is also home to Du Khiem and Xung Khiem pavilions, where the emperor indulged in refined pastimes like playing chess, enjoying tea, and reading books.
5.2. Hoa Khiem Palace
Walking through Khiem Cung Gate, the next thing you see is Hoa Khiem Palace. Once served as Tu Duc’s working space, this is now the place to worship the emperor and his wife. On the two sides are Phap Khiem Vu and Le Khiem Vu houses for the servants to rest.
5.3. Luong Khiem Temple
As a loving son, Tu Duc Emperor dedicated a special space to his mother, Empress Dowager Tu Du. The place is called Luong Khiem Temple. Right beside the temple is On Khiem Chamber, where the emperor’s possessions are kept.
5.4. Minh Khiem Theater
For many tourists, the true highlight of Tu Duc Tomb is a royal theater named Minh Khiem. Overlooking the placid lake, this architectural work is a reflection of Tu Duc’s poetic soul. All of its pillars were carved with intricate details, and the ceiling was painted with figures of the sun, moon, and stars.
It was here that the emperor enjoyed royal performances. Nowadays, to preserve the building, performances are shown in the Xung Khiem Pavilion instead. Still, if you have a thing for Vietnamese art, especially Hue court music, this ancient theater is worth a visit.
It stands behind and to the left of Hoa Khiem Palace, which is the second Royal Theater for the emperor and his retinue to entertain. This is one of Vietnam’s oldest theaters, built during the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors, where the Tu Duc emperor often visited to watch the performances. Minh Khiem Theater has a high value in culture and architectural art. Today, people still often organize cultural and artistic performances to serve visitors.
5.5. Stele Pavilion
Walking in the courtyard in the middle of the honor guards. You’ll reach the first building in the necropolis, a stele pavilion. This accommodates a 22-ton stone stele – the largest one in Vietnam with a “Khiem Cung Ky” written by the Tu Duc emperor in 1871. Notably, it includes 4,935 words that inscribe the emperor’s biography and his faults to the Royal family as well as the country. It was recognized as Vietnam National Treasure in 2015.
Plus, two pillars flank the stele pavilion– these obelisks are common sights in royal tombs, as they represent the candles showing the emperor the right way to enter into the afterlife.
5.6. The Emperor’s Sepulcher
Visitors can reach the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc as they pass by a green lake called Tieu Khiem, whose shape resembles a crescent moon.
The main tomb area is constructed from three floors of stones. Whether the emperor’s body is truly here is unknown. Legend has it that when the emperor passed away, his grieving crew actually cruised down Luu Khiem Lake and laid him to rest in a secret spot.
After burying Tu Duc, all the servants were executed to protect his remains from grave robbers. And thus, the mystery of Tu Duc’s final resting place went down with them.
6. Conclusion
A visit to royal tombs is a must do list for any visitors travel to Hue. Listening and hearing our ancient stories are fascinating and interesting. There are 7 royal tombs in Hue city nowadays for you to explore. All in all, when exploring the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, you will have the opportunity to learn more deeply about the history and the ancient architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. Hopefully, the above information will help you get useful information for a worthwhile journey to Tu Duc Tomb. Explore Vietnam Travel wishes you an enjoyable, safe trip that brings you many memorable memories.