Minh Mang Tomb belongs to Emperor Minh Mang (1791 - 1841), the second one in the Nguyen Dynasty. It was constructed in September 1840 and completed in 1843, under the reign of Thieu Tri emperor, the great son of the late Emperor Minh Mang. The tomb has a symmetrical architectural design with constructions located along the Shinto road. This is considered one of the most famous tombs in the complex of Hue Imperial Citadel, chosen by many tourists as a favorite destination in Hue City.
How to get to Minh Mang Tomb Hue?
Where is the tomb of Minh Mang?
Outside of the tomb - Source: flickr
The tomb is currently located on Cam Ke Mountain, Huong Tho Commune, Huong Tra District-level Town, Thua Thien Hue Province - about 12km from Hue City Center, 13km from Dong Ba Market and Thien Mu Pagoda.
- Entrance fee: 150,000 VND/ adult ($6.56); 30,000 VND/ kid ($1.3). (tickets are sold at the gate of the mausoleum)
- Opening hours: 7am - 5:30pm
How to get to Minh Mang Tomb?
There are three ways to travel to Minh Mang royal tomb: private transport (car, motorbike), taxi, and dragon-shaped boat.
#Private transport
The way to the tomb is easy and there are updated routes on Google maps, so you can easily follow these routes. (The parking lot is located nearby the tomb)
#Taxi
Some famous taxi brands you can refer to such as:
- Mai Linh Taxi: +84 933 002 250
- Thanh Loi Taxi: +84 234 384 5845
- Thanh Do Taxi: +84 234 385 8585
#Dragon boat
Traveling to Minh Mang Tomb by dragon boat - Source: chothuexemientrun
This is a very popular means of transportation to travel around Hue City. The boats 2m wide and 5-6m long have a capacity of under 20 people and the larger ones have a capacity of 50-60 people. All are dragon-shaped and gloriously decorated. On the way to the tomb of Minh Mang Emperor, you have a chance to enjoy Hue folk music, release floating lotus paper lanterns and admire the charming Perfume River and Hue city.
Note when traveling to Minh Mang Tomb Hue by dragon boat:
- Fare: 135,000 - 270,000 VND/ way ($5.9 - 11.8).
- If you want to listen to Hue folk music, it costs you only 150,000 VND/ pax ($6.5).
- Apart from the route to Minh Mang royal tomb on the dragon boat, you can combine with other routes: such as Hue City Center - Thien Mu Pagoda, Hon Chen Palace, and Bao Vinh Ancient Town. The fares for each route are different.
The impressive architecture of Minh Mang Tomb
Source: dulichkhampha24
The tomb of Emperor Minh Mang consists of 40 auxiliary architectural works in different areas. The tomb of Minh Mang Hue welcomes guests with the gate of Dai Hong (Đại Hồng Môn), the main gate of the tomb, 9m high and 12m wide, including three entrances, of which the middle one is just opened only once to take the emperor’s coffin to the mausoleum and then closed tightly. The two other entrances are Ta Hong and Huu Hong.
Crossing the gate of Dai Hong in Minh Mang Tomb, you come to Bai Dinh, a 45*45m yard paved with Bat Trang tiles, both sides are statues of martial arts officials, stone elephants and horses. At the end of the yard is Bi Dinh, featuring a stele carved the song about the dedication and attribution of Emperor Minh Mang. The gate of Hien Duc (Hiển Đức Môn) leads you to Tẩm điện, which is dedicated to the emperor. The gate of Hien Duc bears the typical features of the Nguyen Dynasty with horizontal lacquer boards and “parallel sentences” carved in ancient Chinese and meticulously painted in red and golden.
Located in the center area of Minh Mang Tomb Hue is Sung An Palace (Điện Sùng Ân), which worships Ming Mang Emperor and his wife - Empress Ta Thien Nhan. After through the gate of Hoang Trach, the final architectural work in Tẩm điện, Tuong Minh Lake appears right in front of you. The large lake consists of three bridges, leading to Minh Lau Pavilion (meaning “bright floor”), where the late emperor used to meditate and“home” to his soul after he deceased.
After visiting Minh Lau Pavilion in the tomb of Minh Mang, you come to Tan Nguyet Lake, featuring a Thanh Liem Chinh Truc bridge, which symbolizes the intelligence and honesty of Emperor Minh Mang. After going through the special bridge in Minh Mang Tomb, there are 33 steps leading you to Buu Thanh - which features the “resting place” of the emperor called “Huyền cung” (meaning “the place burying the emperor’s tomb). Surrounding Buu Thanh are high, secure walls, its foundation is created by a kind of special brick made of terracotta at a relatively low temperature.
With the incredibly impressive symmetrical architecture, the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang is ranked as one of the most majestic and splendid ones of the Nguyen Dynasties.
The history of Minh Mang Tomb and Emperor Minh Mang?
Emperor Minh Mang's painting - Source: anhsontranduc
Emperor Minh Mang (1791 - 1841) was the 4th son of Emperor Gia Long and the second emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, also called Nguyen Phuc Dam. Because of his dedication to the people and the nation, he has been praised as the most outstanding and talented emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty although there are still some limitations in terms of foreign affairs). In September 1840 when the emperor reigned for about 20 years (from 1820), Minh Mang Tomb was started under construction. However, he suddenly passed away in January 1841. Therefore, Emperor Thieu Tri - the first son of Minh Mang continued to supervise the process of building the tomb. Until 1843, the tomb was finally completed, then the dead body of Emperor Minh Mang was taken to this tomb.
He excelled in Confucian philosophy, which significantly inspired the architecture and decorations of Minh Mang Tomb Hue from the auxiliary architectural works, steles, parallel sentences, the roof, etc. Despite being an emperor, Minh Mang is very romantic and poetic, Which considerably influenced the style and space of the mausoleum, particularly the open-air space with stunning natural scenery, the harmonious combination of emerald lakes, and sophisticated architectural works surrounding it.
During the beginning of Spring from January to February, the weather in Hue is favorable and cool with less rain, suitable for sightseeing and paying a visit to Minh Mang Tomb and other attractive historical relics. After the visit to the tomb of Minh Mang, there are still many different impressive royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty such as the tombs of Khai Dinh, Thieu Tri, Gia Long, Tu Duc,... which will make you understand more about the charming city of Hue with a myriad of splendid and majestic historical sites.
— Ha Bich
