Visiting Thai Hoa Palace – the venue for great ceremonies and dynastic meetings under the Nguyen Dynasty, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the unique and ancient architectural style and discover many important historical and scientific documents.
Hue is always associated with unique historical works. Thai Hoa Palace is one of the tourist attractions of the locality here. Visitors can visit Thai Hoa Palace to freely admire the ancient architecture, besides, this is also an ideal check-in place in the ancient capital.
Introduction to Thai Hoa Palace Hue
If tourists love to explore the culture of the Nguyen Dynasty royal palace, Thai Hoa Palace is an ideal destination. This is a place often held great ceremonies, dynastic meetings of kings, princes, and ministers under the Nguyen Dynasty.
The work was built in February 1805 and completed in October of that year. The main hall at that time was located about 45m northwest of the present position, in 1833 was re-planned and completed the system. Up to now, Thai Hoa Hue Palace has also undergone many renovations.
Discovering Thai Hoa Palace, many tourists when traveling to Hue are not surprised by the majesty and magnificence. This is one of the unique architecture in Hue recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage.
History of Construction and Restoration Until Today
The Thai Hoa Palace you see today is not the original structure as it was when construction began under Emperor Gia Long in February 1805. The palace was completed just 8 months later. Over the years, it underwent two major restoration and reconstruction processes.
The first restoration occurred in 1833 under Emperor Minh Mang, when the palace was moved to the south side of the Imperial City and renovated to make it more magnificent and grand. This restoration was part of a broader plan to reorganize the imperial architecture within the Imperial City. The position of Thai Hoa Palace has remained unchanged since then.
The second major restoration took place in 1923, during the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh, as preparations were made for the emperor’s 40th birthday celebration. The palace also underwent several minor repairs and restorations during the reigns of Emperor Thanh Thai and Emperor Bao Dai.
After the Vietnam War, to preserve and maintain this historical monument, the state carried out restorations in 1960, 1970, 1981, 1985, and 1992. After these restorations, Thai Hoa Palace has undergone several changes, but the architectural structure and artistic decorations largely remain intact.
Recently, in November 2021, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center announced a major restoration and preservation project for Thai Hoa Palace. Due to its age of over 200 years, combined with the harsh weather conditions in Central Vietnam, including frequent storms and prolonged droughts, the palace naturally faced deterioration. After nearly 3 years of extensive restoration, Thai Hoa Palace will be completed and open to visitors starting November 23, 2024
What was Thai Hoa Palace in the Imperial Citadel used for?
Thai Hoa Palace is a symbol of the power of the Nguyen Dynasty. It served as the venue for important court ceremonies and rituals such as coronations, royal birthdays, receiving envoys, and grand court meetings held twice a month on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar calendar.
On these occasions, the king would sit on the throne inside the palace. Only the Four Pillar officials (the highest-ranking ministers) and royal family members were allowed to enter the palace to meet the king. Most other officials had to stand in the courtyard of the Great Court of State, arranged in order of rank from first to ninth grade. Civil mandarins stood on the left, while military mandarins stood on the right. All positions were marked by two rows of stone markers, called “phẩm sơn”, placed in front of the courtyard.
Architecture of Thai Hoa Palace in the Imperial Citadel of Hue
As soon as you step into Thai Hoa Palace, you will be amazed by its vast size – the total area of the palace spans 1,360 square meters. Three key features make Thai Hoa Palace unique and remarkable.
The Structural Framework Made Mainly of Lim Wood
Wood, alongside gold, was a symbol of luxury and nobility during the feudal era. For this reason, when constructing Thai Hoa Palace, the king used precious lim wood, known for its exceptional durability over time, for the building’s structural framework. The palace boasts over 80 wooden columns, all intricately hand-carved and gilded with gold by skilled artisans of the past.
When passing through the front hall, you will immediately notice a red lacquered and gold-gilded plaque with three large Chinese characters: Thai Hoa Dien (Thai Hoa Palace). Below, smaller inscriptions indicate the construction date, renovations, and major restorations of the building.
Roof Architecture Style: Overlapping Roofs and Interconnected Structures
Although the term “trung thiem diep oc – trung thiem trung luong” might sound confusing, it refers to the design of overlapping roofs and interconnected buildings.
The roof truss system at the front uses the “chong ruong – gia thu” style, which features a highly intricate structure. This is combined with a simpler truss design at the back, creating harmony and symmetry. Between the two roof layers is a decorative frieze running around the building. The partitions within this frieze are adorned with creative and unique paintings, poetry, and calligraphy, adding to the architectural charm.
Spiritual Numbers 5 and 9 in Thai Hoa Palace Architecture
When discussing the architecture of Thai Hoa Palace, it is impossible to ignore the significant numbers 5 and 9. These two numbers appear most frequently in the palace’s staircases and interior decorations.
For example, when the king walked from Dai Cung Mon (Great Imperial Gate) to Thai Hoa Palace, he had to step across 9 steps on the lower level and 5 steps on the upper level. The number of steps leading to the second and first Bai Dinh altars also totals 9. Additionally, in important areas like the throne and curtains, a decoration featuring 9 dragons is prominently displayed.
Ticket price to visit Thai Hoa Palace in Hue
Thai Hoa Palace is one of the attractions chosen by many tourists when coming to Hue Citadel. In addition, here you can also visit many other works such as: Dien Tho Palace, Forbidden City, Duyet Thi Duong, …
Ticket prices to visit Hue Citadel are as follows:
- Ticket price for Vietnamese guests: 150,000 VND/adult ticket, 30,000 VND/child ticket
- Ticket price for international guests: 200,000 VND/adult ticket, 40,000 VND/child ticket
See more: Hue Citadel – Extremely detailed information about the historical imprint of the ancient capital
Notes when visiting Thai Hoa Palace
As a cultural and historical attraction, when coming to Thai Hoa Palace, visitors also need to note some of the following information to have the safest and most convenient trip:
- Choose modest, discreet clothing.
- Visitors are not allowed to take pictures, record the interior and not touch the artifacts.
- It is recommended to learn the sightseeing map in advance to avoid getting lost when moving inside.
- Maintain hygiene and general landscape to ensure clean and beautiful relic campus.
If you are wondering where to go for a 1-day tour of Hue, the Thai Hoa Palace inside the Hue Citadel is also considered an interesting choice. This place not only helps you to discover and admire the architecture, but also a check-in point with bold ancient colors of the ancient capital.
Thai Hoa Palace with unique and ancient architecture has become a tourist destination not to be missed when visiting the beautiful city of Hue. Coming to this project, visitors also have the opportunity to expand their cultural knowledge and enlighten the long-standing historical values.