Fodor's Expert Review The Citadel

If there is only one sight you visit in Hue, make sure this is it. Constructed in 1805 under the rule of Emperor Gia Long, this fortress is sheltered by an outer wall spanning 10 km (6 miles). The wall’s design was inspired by the work of Sébastien Le Prestre, a renowned French military engineer of the 17th century. Marking its entry are the Nine Holy Cannons and a flag that stands 170 feet high, the tallest in the country. Inside the sprawling complex are the Imperial City, Imperial Academy, and the Secret Institute paying tribute to the past. On the main gate of the Imperial City, bullet holes on the stone entrances leave traces of a battle during the American (Vietnam) War. Inside the Imperial City, something of an eyesore are the scaffoldings of sections still being restored from the severe damage caused during the 1947 and 1968 battles.