Duy峄噒 Th峄� 膼瓢峄漬g (Royal Theater), Hue

Royal Theater (Duyet Thi Duong), nestled within the Forbidden Purple City of the Imperial Citadel in Hue, is celebrated as Vietnam鈥檚 oldest surviving royal theater鈥攁 jewel of Nguyen dynasty heritage. Constructed in 1826 under Emperor Minh Mang atop the earlier Thanh Phong Duong鈥檚 foundations, it served exclusively the imperial court鈥擡mperors, mandarins, the royal family, and foreign dignitaries. Here, they enjoyed regal performances of Nha Nhac (court music), royal dances, and trich doan Tuong (classical drama), symbolically a 鈥渉ouse to observe what is right.鈥�

The theater stands on a sprawling 11,740 square meters campus, with a 1,182 square meters two-story timber structure richly adorned in lacquer, gilding, and intricate wood-carvings. Above, the coffered ceiling features cosmological motifs鈥攕un, moon, stars鈥攚hile dragon-carved red columns support the elegant curved roofs, reminiscent of Hue鈥檚 pagodas. Distinct seating arrangements reflect court hierarchy: the Emperor and senior officials on the ground floor, court ladies and eunuchs above, and a screened dais reserved for the Empress and royal consorts.

Through the centuries, the theater experienced neglect, damage in wartime, and was repurposed in the 1960s as a music school. From 1995 to 2002, meticulous restoration by the Hue Monuments Conservation Center revived its grandeur; it officially reopened in 2003 and has since hosted daily performances, reviving its intangible heritage.

Today, a visit to the Royal Theater immerses travelers in a world of royal aesthetics and living traditions. Standard Imperial City tickets include access, while the theater also offers dedicated shows of court music, dance, and drama. Whether marveling at the sumptuous lacquerwork, soaking in centuries-old melodies under its celestial ceiling, or witnessing staged dyeings of courtly performance, Royal Theater delivers a succinct but profound window into the imperial arts of Vietnam.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Hue. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Duy峄噒 Th峄� 膼瓢峄漬g (Royal Theater)
Sight Location: Hue, Vietnam (See walking tours in Hue)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Imperial City Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Hue, Vietnam

Create Your Own Walk in Hue

Creating your own self-guided walk in Hue is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Imperial City Walking Tour

The Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty built their feudal capital along the fertile banks of the Perfume River, whose steady flow, centuries on, still sets up a languid pace that the rest of the city is happy to follow.

Situated within the walls of the Royal Citadel, The Imperial City in Hue is one of, if not the most prominent landmark in Vietnam, renowned for its wonderful collection of oriental... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles

Hue Introduction Walking Tour

Once the seat of the imperial dynasty in the heart of Vietnam, Hue is chock-full of stories. During feudal times, for nearly 150 years 鈥� from 1802 to 1945, the city served as the national capital. The royal lifestyle and customs have had a strong impact on the lifestyle of locals, and this impact can still be felt today.

First cited about 200 BCE as the seat of the Chinese military authority... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

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