VI
EN
Kien Trung Palace in the history of the Hue imperial palace.
Within the overall Hue Imperial Citadel – home to the most representative structures of the Nguyen dynasty's power – Kien Trung Palace holds a special place. This is not only because it was the last structure built in the imperial palace, but also because its image clearly reflects the shift in thinking, aesthetics, and court life during the final period of the Vietnamese monarchy.
Kien Trung Palace is the latest building constructed within the Hue imperial palace complex.
Kien Trung Palace was built between 1921 and 1923, during the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh, on the foundations of older structures in the area such as Minh Vien Lau from the reign of Emperor Minh Mang or Du Cuu Lau from the reign of Emperor Duy Tan. Unlike ceremonial palaces and temples such as Thai Hoa or Can Thanh, Kien Trung served as the private living and working space of the emperor, catering more to daily life than to court activities.
Upon completion, Kien Trung Palace continued to be used under the reign of Emperor Bao Dai, the last emperor of the Nguyen dynasty. This was also the period when the building was enhanced with many modern amenities, befitting the Western-influenced lifestyle of the royal family at the time. It was in this space that private activities and pivotal decisions of a dynasty nearing its end took place.
However, war almost completely destroyed the Kien Trung Palace in 1947, leaving only the foundations and some remnants. For decades, the structure existed only in memory, photographic documents, and archival drawings, until a restoration project was launched in the early 21st century.
The blend of Asian and European architecture is a rare feature within the Imperial Citadel.
While most of the architecture of the Hue imperial palace strictly adheres to Confucian norms and traditional East Asian styles, Kien Trung Palace is a clear exception. The building is considered the most prominent manifestation of the East-West fusion in Vietnamese imperial architecture.
The influence of Eastern and Western influences is most strongly evident in the architecture and interior design of Kien Trung Palace.
Overall, Kien Trung Palace is a grand architectural structure with a symmetrical layout, facing south. The facade is striking with its 13 large doors, creating a regular rhythm and a sense of openness, quite different from the usual privacy of traditional palaces. The steps leading up to the palace are decorated with dragon motifs, both symbolizing Eastern royalty and designed with proportions and forms that have a European influence.
The 13 large doors on the facade create a much more open and spacious feel compared to the traditional, refined and discreet architecture of the palace.
The dragon figure placed on the steps is a symbol of Eastern royalty, but its proportions and form have a European feel to them.
The most striking feature of the exterior architecture is the multicolored ceramic mosaic decoration, combining traditional dragon, phoenix, and floral motifs with geometric details and French and Italian-style reliefs. The palace roof still uses glazed yellow tiles, retaining the symbolic colors of the royal family, but the treatment of the railings, balconies, and windows reflects the Western architecture of the early 20th century.
The palace is decorated with colorful ceramic mosaics featuring traditional dragon, phoenix, and floral patterns.
The balconies and window frames reflect the architectural style of early 20th-century Western architecture.
Inside the palace, the space is organized into many functional rooms, clearly reflecting the daily life of the king and the royal family. The reconstructed interior today recreates a combination of traditional gilded and lacquered wooden furniture with European-style tables, chairs, lamps, and other items, showing the strong influence of Western culture on the royal court during the late Nguyen dynasty.
The architecture and interior design of the palace are a blend of Western furnishings and gilded, lacquered wooden furniture from the East.
It is this blend that makes Kien Trung Palace not just an architectural work, but also a "spatial document" reflecting the mindset of a dynasty standing at the threshold of modernization and historical upheaval.
From a palace to a space for displaying culture and history.
After years of being a ruin, Kien Trung Palace was restored and completed between 2019 and 2023 based on a system of documentary photographs, ancient drawings, and historical research. The restoration aimed not only to recreate the architectural form but also to restore the structure to its vibrant role within the contemporary Hue Imperial Citadel.
After being restored, Kien Trung Palace has become a popular tourist attraction when visiting the Hue Imperial Citadel.
Today, Kien Trung Palace is used as a space for displaying culture and art, and showcasing court life in the late Nguyen dynasty. The rooms inside the palace display many artifacts, replicas, and documents related to the royal family, from household items, palanquins, thrones, tables and chairs, to interior decorative details that have been restored according to their original models.
The palace currently displays numerous artifacts, replicas, and documents related to the royal family.
Besides its permanent exhibitions, Kien Trung Palace also hosts thematic exhibitions and art events. In recent years, the building has become a space for showcasing collections of paintings and court art, notably exhibitions of paintings by King Ham Nghi and displays of artifacts related to Nguyen Dynasty art. Integrating contemporary art into this heritage space helps Kien Trung Palace transcend its role as a "static monument," becoming a point of intersection between the past and the present.
Kien Trung Palace also serves as a venue for thematic exhibitions and art events.
For visitors, Kien Trung Palace today is one of the most prominent attractions in the Hue Imperial Citadel, not only because of its dazzling and distinctive appearance but also because of the historical story it carries. Here, viewers can better understand a period of transformation in the Hue imperial palace, where traditional values were preserved while simultaneously embracing new ideas and aesthetics.
There are two rows of corridors, left and right, leading to the Kiến Trung Palace.
Minh Vien Lau - a viewing tower originally built during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang, later dismantled and rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh, is now located next to Kien Trung Palace.
Within the overall picture of the Hue Imperial Citadel Complex, Kien Trung Palace plays the role of the final piece completing the story of the Nguyen Dynasty. It is a landmark of a transitional period, where royal power, Eastern and Western cultures, and historical upheavals coexist in a unique architectural structure, both familiar and unfamiliar, in the heart of the Imperial Citadel.
