The Royal Citadel in Hue, Viet Nam

In February ’07, I visited a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia. Among the sites was the Royal Citadel, a walled fortress surrounded by a moat, in Hue, Viet Nam. Modeled after Beijing’s Forbidden City, the citadel is surrounded by outer walls pierced by 10 gates, each allowing access over the moat by a bridge.

Within the walls, the Imperial Palace, or Forbidden Purple City, once housed the emperor and his court. The walls and structures of the complex have suffered from natural disasters, war and neglect, but restoration is underway with the assistance of UNESCO.

HARLAN HAGUE

Stockton, CA