Thai Hoa Palace

Hue

This 1803 palace is a spacious hall with an ornate timber roof supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. It was used for the emperor’s official receptions and important ceremonies. On state occasions the emperor sat on his elevated throne, facing visitors entering via the Ngo Mon Gate. No photos are permitted, but be sure to see the impressive audiovisual display, which gives an excellent overview of the entire Citadel, its architecture and the historical context.

The Thai Hoa Palace is modelled on the Taihe Dian (Palace of Supreme Harmony) in Beijing's Forbidden City.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Thien Mu Pagoda
2.48 MILES
Built on a small hill overlooking the Song Huong (Perfume River), 4km southwest of the Citadel, this seven-storey pagoda is an icon of Vietnam and as…
Tomb of Khai Dinh
4.87 MILES
This hillside monument is a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. Most of the tomb’s grandiose exterior is covered in darkened, weathered…
To Mieu Temple Complex
0.15 MILES
Taking up the southwest corner of the Imperial Enclosure, this highly impressive walled complex has been beautifully restored. The imposing three-tiered…
Imperial Enclosure
0.15 MILES
The Imperial Enclosure or Imperial City is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor’s residence, temples and palaces, and the main buildings of…
Tomb of Tu Duc
2.6 MILES
This tomb (completed in 1867) is the most popular, imposing and impressive of the royal mausoleums, designed by Emperor Tu Duc himself before his death…
Tomb of Minh Mang
5.61 MILES
Planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri, this majestic tomb, on the west bank of the Perfume River, is renowned…
Ho Thuy Tien Abandoned Water Park
4.18 MILES
Closed for mysterious reasons in 2006, this long-abandoned water park outside Hue centres on a dramatic dragon head poking from the waters of Thuy Tien…
Ngo Mon Gate
0.09 MILES
The principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure is Ngo Mon Gate, which faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved…

View more attractions

Nearby Hue attractions

1. Halls of the Mandarins

0.05 MILES

Located immediately behind Thai Hoa Palace, on either side of a courtyard, these halls were used by mandarins as offices and to prepare for court…

2. Ngo Mon Gate

0.09 MILES

The principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure is Ngo Mon Gate, which faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved…

3. Royal Theatre

0.11 MILES

The Royal Theatre, begun in 1826 and later home to the National Conservatory of Music, has been rebuilt on its former foundations. When performances aren…

4. Emperor's Reading Room

0.14 MILES

The exquisite (though crumbling) little two-storey Emperor’s Reading Room was the only part of the Purple Forbidden City to escape damage during the…

5. Purple Forbidden City

0.15 MILES

In the very centre of the Imperial Enclosure, there's almost nothing left of the once-magnificent Purple Forbidden City. This was a citadel-within-a…

6. To Mieu Temple Complex

0.15 MILES

Taking up the southwest corner of the Imperial Enclosure, this highly impressive walled complex has been beautifully restored. The imposing three-tiered…

7. Thai To Mieu Temple Complex

0.15 MILES

Almost nothing remains of the former Thai To Mieu temple complex – it's now a plant nursery.

8. Imperial Enclosure

0.15 MILES

The Imperial Enclosure or Imperial City is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor’s residence, temples and palaces, and the main buildings of…

View more attractions

placement: superzone
path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],

targeting:

{
  "url": "vietnam/central-vietnam/hue/attractions/thai-hoa-palace/a/poi-sig/442808/357875",
  "destination": "Hue",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Vietnam",
  "city": "Hue",
  "position": "superzone"
}