Huế

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(Redirected from Hué)

Huế (化 in Vietnamese Chu Nom, 順化 in Chinese characters) is the former modern capital of Vietnam. It is well known for its monuments and architecture. It is the capital city of Thừa Thiên Huế province. Its population stands at about 340,000 people.

1 Geography
2 Sights
3 History
4 External links

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Geography

The city is located in central Vietnam on the banks of the Perfume River. It is located in central Vietnam, in the Thua Thien prefecture. It is about 660 km (400 mi.) from the capital Hanoi.

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Sights

Image:TuHieuPagoda.jpg On the north side of the river is the Citadel, the centre of the historic city. Most of Huế's important monuments, temples, and pagodas are found in this area. The south side of the river is newer, and contains most of the city's business and residential areas.

Hue's most outstanding attractions are the royal citadel, an imperial city and the emperor's tombs.

Huế's complex of monuments is listed among the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

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History

Huế originally rose to prominence as the capital of the Nguyễn family, a feudal dynasty which dominated much of (then) southern Vietnam. In 1802, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (later Emperor Gia Long) succeeded in establishing his control over the whole of Vietnam, thereby making Huế the national capital. It retained this status until 1945, when Emperor Bảo Đại abdicated and a Communist government was established in Hà Nội, in the north. While Bảo Đại was briefly proclaimed "Head of State" again in 1949 (although not with recognition from the Communists), his new capital was Sài Gòn, in the south.

In the Vietnam War, Huế's central position placed it very near the border between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The city was located in the South. In the Tết Offensive, the city suffered considerable damage as well as the now infamous massacre at Huế. After the war's conclusion, many of the historic features of Huế were neglected, being seen by the victorious Communists as a "relic of the feudal system", but there has since been a change of policy, and some parts of the historic city have been restored.

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