Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh (3/4)

And finally, we reached the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, and it would just takes your breath away. I think, this is the most beautiful tomb I've ever seen in my life! The tour guide told us the mausoleum was gothic in nature, dark and gloomy, but she said that for this mausoleum, we could actually see the emperor's tomb itself unlike the 1st mausoleum we visited. When I asked what the tomb looked like, she told me I will know when I see it, that it combines a thousand colours inside..... When I enter this tomb, I immediately understand what she meant, and totally agreed with her description of the place.

I mean, I don't know how to describe it. I knew that it was a tomb, but it was decorated in so much colours and decorations. And the lighting inside lit everything up so beautifully. The statue of the emperor sits on his throne, or tomb looking out into the hall, and into the mountains. It looked so delicately sculptured, like it could stand up and walk right out if he wanted to.

You could walk around it to see it from every angle. I went in to the room twice, because I felt that it was the most beautiful room here and deserved more time inside for me to admire it's beauty.

Here is a closed up look of it. How the mosaic dragons on the ceilings and high wall are so detailed and lovely.

I took a souvenir photo of myself with Emperor Khai Dinh. Happy to have visited his tomb. I've only found out about these mausoleum like a month before the trip when I was planning for it. And when I read about Hue and its mausoleum, I immediately knew that I wanted to see this for myself. So I am so happy and glad that I managed to do so, even though I had to engage a day tour to get here. The day tour was totally worth it. I would recommend it to anyone. 

Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh (2/4)

 

Continuing on our journey up, to the gothic tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh.... Lovely view of the running clouds here, dark and gloomy looking down on the 2nd hall of the mausoleum.

At the upper level, also known as the 2nd section of the tomb, was meant to be a place for worship and prayers, to the gods and ancestors. Unlike a traditional Vietnamese building, these here were made of stone, with fine carvings of  dragons to represent the emperor.

The carvings were so detailed! The french windows were made of wood and glass though, and they somehow blended well together, with a traditional lamp illuminating the inside of the hall.

And when you stepped inside, you are instantly blown away by the deco. Especially the dragons on the ceiling. The grey tiled floors. It was not gloomy inside at all, but looked like a french palace, but decorated with an oriental flare. 

It was beautiful. With the lights shinning into the hall that was painted gold, everything reflecting off it. It didn't feel like a tomb at all. It was surprisingly airy, and bright, and oh so beautiful.

At the center of it was the altar, and here too it wasn't a typical red altar you would normally find in temples. Here, it looked more like an antique old grand mansion's altar, with mosaic decorations and bronze or brass statues of peacorks in front of the altar.

I mentioned that the hall was painted gold, or maybe it was yellow. I can't really tell, lol. But it suited the place. I think I love this place more than the Hue Imperial City's big house palace. There was something just very elegant about the decor here, not quite chinese, not quite french, yet something coming all together.

The vertical wall decoration was itself something to be admired! It was rather

They looked like they were made of mosaic. 

There were some side halls that you could also wandered into. The high ceilings and the high door frame made everything seems to elegant and slim. I bet this is what walking into an elves palace felt like. Everything so tall, and glittering.....

I love the yellow door with it's carvings.

I also love these windows that let in so much light! They also looked out into the mountains.

If this was my house, I would sit here everyday looking out into the horizon. Letting the cold wind blowing in, while I sit to read or sip some tea. It would probably very dark when the sun sets, probably cold too. But it would be so lovely to remain here, for eternity.

Views from outside one of the side doors.... so spacious, and I don't know, minimalistic?

View looking out.....

Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh (1/4)

Stairways to heaven? But in this scene where the clouds are so dark, maybe it leads to somewhere else instead? After all, this stairways lead to a mausoleum.... The last nightlight of our one day tour, was also the highlight of my visit to Hue! To see the gothic influenced mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh! And the entrance to it did not disappoint! Look at the photo! Can you feel the vibe of the place?

It took some climbing to get to above the street level. I think the tour guide said that it takes around 220 steps to get to the tomb. To find something so gothic in the center of Vietnam, was mind blowing. It was supposed to be inspired by the gothic buildings of the west. 

 

Everything about this place was just so gothic! And I really liked it that we visited on this day when the clouds too play it's part in making this even more intense. Yes, I think the word intense correctly described this place. From the front gate, all the way in, dark, grey and gloomy. 

Although influenced by the west, the mausoleum itself still follows the three section of a royal tomb, just like the one we visited before this. So the very first section we came to, was the greeting area with monuments and stone guardians welcoming us. 

I was very much in love with the architecture design of this place. I didn't know where to shot! It was actually a lot smaller than the 1st mausoleum we visited, but the impact of it was so much stronger. It was so vertical in nature, and the colour toned was so intense!

The monument and the guards were also in grey. For some reason, I like the guardians here a lot, as you will see soon in this blog. I took so many photos of them. They reminded me very much of the terra-cotta soldiers in China, something I hope I will be able to see this year 2026 when I visit Xian with my friend.

A small....., I want to say pavilion but that doesn't seems to fit the structure here. A small hall?

Next were more steps to the actual building, which was supposed to be the second section of the mausoleum.

Everything here was made of stone instead of wood.

Some souvenir shots I took cause I was so excited to be here!

Me and some of the stone guardians of the tomb. Frozen in time forever here, to guard over the young emperor, for he was, young when he passed at the age of 40. He was king for only 9 years. Yet his tomb here reflect something so much more. 

Me again, with more guardians by my side :)

Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (3/3)

To reach the 3rd section, we had to cross a bridge. I thought this was so symbolic, and so beautiful. It was like crossing into another world between the living and the dead. I like that concept very much. I also liked it that the other side wasn't something dark and gloomy, but opens up into a garden with pavilion on it.

Our tour guide told us that we could rest here, and those who wanted to go over another bridge to visit the tomb. Some of us choose to proceed, but some choose to remain here and rest.

The pavilion also have chinese characters on them, and it says here this is the "Bright Building", or "Building of Light". Again, it was nice that it shows brightness instead of dark. 

The clouds have cleared up by this time, and it was beautiful to see the blue skies at the back of the red pavilion, as well as the plants around it. From here, it looked just like any Chinese garden.

A look through from one of the doors of the pavilion. I like photos like this too. Is like you could walk through it into another different world.....

Anyway, my friend decided to stay behind while I went to visit the tomb. Making my way towards it, I first have to pass a more forest-y area. I love these tress with their roots or branches coming down. Are these bayan tress? There were other stone monuments here as well. 

Soon I saw the path that lead to the tomb. I forgot to mentioned that our tour guide also told us, that the emperor's tomb is always on a small hill. Perhaps to let them rest at a high ground so that they could look down on their people?

To get to the other side, you have to cross another bridge. But this bridge was slightly different from the previous ones. This one looked much more solemn, voided of all colours, and simpler in design. The usual Vietnamese royal gate sign could be found at the two ends of the bridge.

And at the end of it were stone steps leading up to a metal door. Yeah, you could walk up and peep through the hole if you want, but you can't go inside. The door is closed. No visitors allowed. Beyond the door, lays the emperor in eternal rest.

One of our group member from Australia was the first to go up and take a look. I followed next after he came down. I've come all this way to visit, how could I not pay my respect at the door?

A souvenir shot of me, drenched in rain, but happy, and at peace, standing in front of the tomb. I don't know how to describe it, but I like visiting these type of places. I find peace in such places. There is just something about such places that always draws me to them, no matter which country, which culture.

From the tomb side looking back, this is the view!

To go back to the land of the living...... This was probably the view of the Emperor as he rest in his tomb too. I think its quite a nice view.

Ok, time to walk back to join the others.

As I walked back, I see such a lovely scene, of blue skies opening up :) Yeah, it was a lovely visit here. My heart opens up to this place. Thank you for letting me visit.

Soon I reached the other side and rejoined the team. Together we slowly walked back to the main entrance where our bus/van would pick us up and drive us to the next royal mausoleum.

A lovely portal into a different world, a different vibe. Definitely world a visit! 

Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (2/3)

Entering the hall for the Gods with the dark clouds looking gloomy above us. What a great day to visit mausoleums! It does add to the atmosphere. But best of all, there were hardly anyone else at this site, a UNESCO site too! 

Entering the temple-like structure, you are instantly greeted by the altar and the offering table. It was quite a wide area, with smaller altar along it. Clearly someone do upkeep this place, as the flowers were fresh and incense and candles were lighted. I love the tiled floorings. Something about the colour yellow in Vietnam really strikes you, perhaps a reminder of the French?

But as this is a prayer hall, everything was super bright red! Auspicious colour for the Gods and ancesters. 

Here is a different view, showing the multiple section of the altar. Visitors are not permitted to enter the place, but you could get closed enough to look inside.

One of my favourite photo, a local Vietnamese in traditional clothing with a hat stood there praying in front of the altar. The red doors were the entrance where one enters, and it looked so beautiful with the lights shinning in from them, reflecting on to the filed flooring. 

Hmmm, I can't remember if this is the next section, or the previous one.... lol. 

But what you can see inside here are the royal symbols, like the yellow coloured cloth here with two yellow/golden dragon. Just like in China, the colour yellow was reserved for the Emperor. 

Actually, everything looked very Chinese from here. The view of the gardens and the courtyard reflects the influence of the Chinese. 

In my fantasy, I would love to live in a country house with doors like these. Like those traditional Japanese houses where you could looked out, or even sit outside looking out to your garden. I thought it would feel so free and bright instead of having walls. 

And the corridors here were lovely as well. Very Japanese too! I think wood is such a nice building material when its well maintained and shines like this. 

This is actually what it looked like from outside. It looked rather old really. 

Here is another corridor shot. I like lights and darkness kind of photographs. 

Lastly, it was time to move on into the final section, the tomb of the emperor.