Dien Tho Residence in Hue Imperial Citadel

One of the most beautiful Hue attractions to visit is the Diên Thọ Residence. Its artistic value is worthy as one of the stops in your Hue Imperial Citadel Walking Tour. Let’s see what you will enjoy in the place with our team at Bee Bee Travel!

Early history

Cung Diên Thọ (Dien Tho Palace) located in the northwest of the Imperial Citadel which was originally built in 1804 by Emperor Gia Long as a residence for his Mother. Meaning “long life”, it was a wish of longevity for the Emperor’s Mother. The fact that Dien Tho nowadays is the largest palace that houses valuable antique of Nguyen Dynasty.

What is special about structure

First look

Surprisingly, Dien Tho Palace is the largest compound in the Hue Imperial City. This hints the facts that the owner of this residence had an important role in the Nguyen Dynasty. When you walk to the compound, be sure to have a look at the beautiful Tho Chi gate.

Central building of Dien Tho Palace

They built the palace around a wooden frame with a Tien Dien or front hall of seven compartments and two wings.

Having a rectangular shape in an area of nearly 960m², Chính Điện or the main hall had three compartments and two double wings and a small Hậu Điện corridor at the rear.

The Temple features twin double roofs, connected by a crab shell-shaped central section. The compartments platformed by the wooden with many tables as the place where the Queen received guests. Most noteworthy, the furnishings are quite intact and valuable. Especially, the horizontal image from 1916 along with eight mirror pictures.

Behind the main Palace is Thọ Ninh Temple usually reserved for the second Queen. There is a connection of the corridor through the Temple.

The scale of Diên Thọ palace

There were about 20 large and small buildings. Moreover, these works had both abundant in type (power, weightlifting, floor) and diverse architectural style. Interestingly, it was built and renovated in many different historical periods. Therefore, you will see an architectural collection of Nguyen in Diên Thọ.

What you can see around Diên Thọ palace

1. Thông Minh Đường Palace:

Firstly, they built it in the southwest where has a special theater for Empress. You can admire the ancient art space where the Emperors relaxed with their elegant pleasures. Whenever you visit here, you can see two-storey buildings with Western style, built in 1927. What is more, you will be interested in the new house was renovated in 1950 with larger and wonderful  building.

2. Thọ Ninh Temple:

It was a large yard about 20m from Diên Thọ Palace where the Emperor’s Mother lived. You can see the Ninh Tho area was only half of Diên Thọ Palace. Its architecture is simple and elegant.

3. Tạ Trường Du

At the east of Diên Thọ Palace is Tạ Trường Du house, a wooden structure located on a lovely rectangular pool. Hence, it was also called Thuy Ta’s house. They are relatively simple structures, built on the water surface such as lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

This is a special place for fresh air. What is more, on the south side was attached to a small house called Luong Phong tomb with brick tiles, wooden walls, many windows along with the interiors were carved sophisticated.

4. Phước Thọ Temple:

You can be easy to see the Phuoc Tho Temple located in northwest of Diên Thọ Palace, opposite with Tạ Trường Du. It is also known as Khương Ninh guard and one of attractive locations with a two-storey wooden building architecture. Built in 1831, Phước Thọ Temple used to worship Buddha and the Queen.

The building has three compartments, two floors, facing West. Downstairs just to have an altar in the middle, the two sides used as the residence of the female monks. Finally, in the back of the temple are worshiped the holy gods.

You can step upstairs to see more of Buddha and other Holy Gods being worshiped. Especially, if you have knowledge about Thien Y A Na Thanh Mau, which is a big religion in Hue. You will find it also being worshiped in here.  

Last but not least, the two sides are the altars of the Gods belongs to inferiors of the Emperor’s Mother including: Dien Phuc Princess, My Tuong Princess.

They are the sisters and aunts of Emperor Gia Long. In particular, it also worships two statues of the singing profession which is more interesting and different than the other monuments.

5. Tinh Minh Floor:

You will certainly surprise with special architecture collection under Nguyen Dynasty at the Tịnh Minh Floor.

Built by Bao Dai Emperor to prevent his mother from humid and wet winter in Hue, it nowadays stood as a palace of goodness. The Emperor walked on the corridor to visit his mother’s health every day. Hence, the typical decoration in Diên Thọ palace is the phoenix image – female symbol.

Diên Thọ palace seems a perfect choice and are impossible to skip it. Instead of reading via a guidebook so why do not you experience all it hidden architecture and hear lively story of Dien Tho with a Hue Expert Guide in Hue Walk of Imperial City with us right now.