An Dinh Palace Hue: A great blend of Asian and European architecture

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An Dinh Palace – the most special palace in Hue (Source: @hhaan.22)

During your travels to Hue ancient capital, besides enjoying folk music performances on the Perfume River, visiting An Dinh Palace should be one of the top activities on your bucket list. Coming here, you can not only admire the architectural features of a bygone era but also gain a greater insight into the life of the Vietnamese royal family in the past.

1. An Dinh Palace Hue: Where is it? How to get there?

• Address: No. 179 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue Province

Owning a prime location on Phan Dinh Phung Street, about 2 kilometers away from the heart of Hue City, An Dinh Palace can be easily reached from any part of the city. Tourists can get to this attraction via a variety of modes of transportation, the two most popular of which are taxis and motorbikes. From the city center, it will take you 7 to 15 minutes to get to An Dinh, depending on traffic.

Tourists taking pictures with An Dinh Palace, Hue (Source: Collected)

To get to An Dinh Palace, take Le Loi Street all the way to the end. Turn left on Phan Boi Chau Street, then right on Ngo Quyen Street. Take the first right onto Nguyen Truong To Street. Continue straight for about 400 meters before turning left onto Phan Dinh Phung Street; An Dinh Palace will be on the left side of the street.

2. Things to know about the history of An Dinh Palace

An Dinh Palace is a unique construction associated with many of the late Nguyen Dynasty’s royal family members, such as King Khai Dinh, King Bao Dai, Queen Nam Phuong and Prince Bao Long. At first, the palace was just a wooden one, built by Dong Khanh Emperor for his eldest son, Khai Dinh, as a small private residence named Phung Hoa Palace. 

An old picture of An Dinh Palace (Source: Collected)

After ascending the throne, Khai Dinh Emperor decided to modernize Phung Hoa Palace, transforming the original wooden building into the most spectacular, opulent castle in Vietnam at the time. The palace was subsequently renamed An Dinh Palace in 1917.

Following in the footsteps of previous generations, Khai Dinh Emperor gave over his An Dinh palace to Vinh Thuy Prince (later Bao Dai Emperor). After the August Revolution in 1945, Bao Dai abdicated and relocated from Hue Imperial Palace to An Dinh with his family.

3. The architectural highlights of An Dinh Palace in Hue

3.1. The main entrance

The main gate of An Dinh Palace, which has some traditional Vietnamese architecture characteristics, is the three-arched entrance gate. The center arch of the gate is supposed to serve the king and queen, while the other two are for the nobles and the infantry, respectively.

This main entrance is elaborately decorated with porcelain and colored glass, representing creatures from Eastern culture, including dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, and turtles. The three words “An Dinh Palace” are embossed on the entrance arch.

The main entrance of An Dinh Palace (Source: Collected)

3.2. Khai Tuong Pavilion

The Khai Tuong Pavilion, constructed in the style of European palaces, is a three-story building covering a total area of 745 square meters. The name of the pavilion was given by King Khai Dinh, meaning “the location where favorable omens happen.” Khai Tuong Pavilion consists of three floors with 22 huge and small rooms with different purposes. The ornamental motif in these rooms is exceptionally lavish and opulent, which will make a great impression on visitors’ minds.

Khai Tuong Pavilion is a must-visit spot in An Dinh Palace (Source: Collected)

3.3. Trung Lap Communal House

Situated in the middle of the front courtyard, Trung Lap Communal House draws the attention of visitors with its octagonal shape and two-layer roof. The first layer of the roof has eight sides, while the second one has four sides. Each side of the Trung Lap Communal House’s roof is embossed with 12 dragons, which symbolize freedom and prosperity. Entering the house, tourists will have the opportunity to admire a lifelike bronze statue of Khai Dinh Emperor, which was made in 1920.

The interior of Trung Lap Communal House (Source: Collected)

4. Helpful information for visitors to An Dinh Palace in Hue

4.1. Opening hours and entrance fee of An Dinh Palace

• Opening hours: 7.00 am – 5.00 pm every day

• Entrance fee: 50,000/ adults and free for children under 12 years old

4.2. Renowned destinations near An Dinh Palace

• Perfume River

Being an inspiration for numerous musicians and artists, Perfume River is widely regarded as the iconic symbol of Hue City. The river is given the name “Perfume” as it used to have a pleasant aroma of flowers from upstream orchards falling into the water during autumn. Because of modernization, the river no longer has this fragrance; however, it remains a notable landmark worth seeing while in Hue.

Perfume River – the most poetic river in Vietnam (Source: Collected)

• Thien Mu Pagoda

The Thien Mu Pagoda is undeniably the most well-known pagoda in the beautiful city of Hue. Constructed in 1601 by Lord Nguyen Hoang, the first Lord of the Kingdom of Annam, the pagoda stands out for its impressive architecture and holiness. Visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, tourists have the opportunity to not only experience the traditional spiritual events of local people but also enjoy the tranquil atmosphere here and comfortably admire the picturesque view of the Perfume River.

Thien Mu Pagoda is a splendid pagoda in Vietnam (Source: Collected)

• Thai Hoa Palace

Thai Hoa Palace, one of Hue Imperial City’s most significant monuments, was built in 1805. Over more than 200 years, Thai Hoa Palace has witnessed the ups and downs of the Nguyen Dynasty’s reign. It used to be a significant location to host foreign representatives and observe diplomatic customs. Dynasty. If you are enthusiastic about ancient Vietnamese architecture, Thai Hoa Palace is an ideal destination to explore.

Thai Hoa Palace possesses Nguyen Dynasty’s magnificent architecture (Source: Collected)

4.3. Tips for the best trip to An Dinh Palace

Before visiting An Dinh Palace, take note of the following:

• Dress politely (no shorts, miniskirts, or tank tops)
• Only take pictures or film with permission
• Do not smoke
• Do not bring food or drinks into the palace
• Do not climb walls or trees, pick flowers, step on grass, or litter
• Do not bring weapons, explosives, or flammable substances into the palace

Besides visiting An Dinh Palace in Hue, it is highly recommended that you spend time exploring some nearby tourist attractions, such as Hoi An and Da Nang. When you are in Hoi An, you should visit VinWonders Nam Hoi An. VinWonders Nam Hoi An is an amusement park offering all sorts of exciting activities in its five subdivisions:

• Adventure Land: A place where thrill-seeking tourists can put their bravery to the test by playing heart-pounding games
• Island of Folk Culture: A place that shows the architectural features of every region of Vietnam and vividly recreates a Vietnamese traditional craft village
• Water World: A water paradise with slides and pools for kids, families, and friends, as well as 11 exciting games to cool off the summer
• Harbor Corner: A place where you can immerse yourself in the space of contrasting cultural features of the past and present, of the East and West
• River Safari: Vietnam’s first and largest river safari, with over 50 species and 550 individual animals

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An Dinh Palace, one of the most splendid royal family residences in Hue, is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Hue, Vietnam, for those who are fond of Asian-European architectural constructions and want to learn more about Vietnamese history. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam’s beautiful Hue City, make sure to include this location in your itinerary!

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