Tinh Tam Lake (also known as Tinh Ho) was once the royal garden of the Nguyen Dynasty, included in the poem collection "Than Kinh Nhi Thap Canh" - 20 most beautiful landscapes of Than Kinh under the reign of King Thieu Tri.
Hong Cu Bridge crosses Bong Lai Island in Tinh Tam Lake
Under the lake grows Bach Diep lotus, the most precious lotus variety in our country.
Tinh Tam Lake was built during the Nguyen Dynasty. Originally, the lake was a section of the Kim Long River that was renovated, and its original name was Ky Te Pond. In the third year of Minh Mang (1822), the Nguyen Dynasty mobilized soldiers to participate in the renovation of the lake, turning it into a Royal Garden and naming it Tinh Tam. From here, one can see three small islands, Bong Lai, Phuong Truong, and Doanh Chau, with beautiful natural scenery.
However, for many years, Tinh Tam Lake has been in a state of ruin. In mid-2020, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center began to renovate the relic. Up to now, the restoration and landscape construction of a part of Tinh Tam Lake has been completed. Many species of flowers, grasses, and ancient trees with strange shapes have been trimmed and planted on the island on the lake. Along with that, strangely shaped artificial mountains, unique bonsai trees... have been brought here with the desire to create a "fairyland" like the ancient capital once had.
The bamboo bridge from Kim Oanh dike to Phuong Truong island in Tinh Tam lake was remade from leftover bamboo from relic restoration projects.
Tinh Tam Lake is considered a typical architectural and landscape achievement of Vietnam in the 19th century. Today, Tinh Tam Lake is also an architectural relic and a famous scenic spot of the ancient capital. From this September, Tinh Tam Lake in Hue will begin to welcome visitors for free.
