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Tomb of Tu Duc . Tomb of Minh Mang . Tomb of Dong Khanh . Tomb of Khai Dinh . Nam Giao

 

 

The tombs (lang tarn) of the rulers of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) are extravagant mausoleums constru e led along the banks of the Perfume River. Situated between seven and 16km south of Hue (see the Around Hue map), they are oper ^rom 6.30 am to 5 pm dai ly, and the entrance fee for most is US$5.

Although all are unique in structure and design , most of the com­plexes cons ist of five parts:

• A ste le pavi lion in which the accomp lishments, cxpl.oits and virtues of th e deceased emperor are engraved on a marble tablet. The testaments were usually written by the dead ruler's successor (though Tu Du e chose to compose his own).

• A temple for the worship of the emperor and empress. In front of each altar, on which the deceased ru lers' funerary tablets were placed, is an ornate dais that once held items the emperor used every day: his tea and betel nut trays, cigarette cases etc, most of which have disappeared.

• A sepulchre, usually inside d square or circular enclosure, where the emperor's remains are buried.

• An honour courtyard paved with dark-brown bat trang bricks along the sides of which stand stone elephants, horses, and csvil and military man­darins The civil mandarins wear square hats and hold the symbol of their authority, an ivory sceptre; the military mandarins wear round hats and hold swords.

• A lotus pond surrounded by frangipani and pine tr ees.

Almost all the tombs, which are in walled compounds, were planned by the Nguyen emperors during their lifetimes. Many of the precious ornaments that once reposited in the tombs disap peared during Viet­nam's wars.