The Imperial Tomb of Khai Dinh
This is both a monument and mausoleum for one of the last rulers of the Nguyen Dynasty, Khai Dinh. It’s the last Imperial tomb built in Hue. It is located at the foot of Mount Chau Chu. The grounds are compact but the design and structure are very elaborate and an intricate fusion of Eastern and Western architecture. There are two different parts to the tomb grounds. At the entrance to the tomb are the gateway and steps, which lead to the courtyard. The houses of Mandarins, with statues of guards, are lined up in the courtyard outside the palace. Emperor Khai Dinh’s mausoleum is located inside the palace. The hexagonal-shaped stele pavilion is worth seeing as it also shows design unique to Hue during this late period. Khai Dinh had good relations with the French, which diminished his reputation a little. The tomb demonstrates respect for global wealth. The tomb shows a variety of fine world materials from this time, with steel, iron and tiles from France along with ceramics and stained glass from China and Japan. It is located 9km south of Hue by road. Opening hours are 07:00-11:30, 13:30-17:30. Entry fee is 80k VND.
