Thai Hoa Palace Hue (Palace Of Supreme Harmony)

Thai Hoa Palace Introduction

Thai Hoa Palace is the most important architectural structure in the complex of Hue Citadel. It was the place of the great ceremonies under the Nguyen dynasty. The palace name is derived from the translation: The word “Hoa” means harmony, “Thai Hoa” means the emperor, with people and mandarins in a good relationship. The ruler (emperor) is required to keep the good harmony between Yin and Yang.

History of Thai Hoa Palace Hue Vietnam

This solemn palace was started constructing on February 21, 1805, and completed on January 10, 1805. On March 3, 1833, when planning and completing the architectural system in the Citadel. Minh Mang emperor moved the Thai Hoa palace to the South and built it more massive, and magnificent. Since then, it has also been restored several times.

The Beautiful architecture

Thai Hoa is built in the type of double house called “Trung Thiem Diep Oc” or “Trung Luong Trung Thiem” (stacked roof, connected house). The surface area is 1.360 m2. Moreover, the base is higher than the 1st courtyard surface 1m and above the 2nd ground, 3,5m.

The main house in the rear is the main palace with two-space, 5 connecting rooms. The front house ceremony palace with seven connecting rooms, two wings. The front and rear houses are connected by an excess roof, known as a crab roof.

The entire palace’s frame system is made of ironwood. 80 columns painted in a golden dragon hiding into clouds. In the middle of the palace, there is a large wooden sign with the gold-plated words “Thai Hoa Palace”. It had been under big renovations in 1833 and 1923.

On the same side, in the middle of the Thai Hoa Palace is the solemn royal throne. It is put on three levels with the decoration of the nine dragons. The 3 levels represent Heaven, Ground, and Human beings. Emperor was like the son of Heaven so the royal throne is on the top level. The timber in the palace is all ironwood, carved, and painted very elaborately. On the wooden ceiling is the gold-plated parasol but it looks like soft silk moving in the winds.

The roof covered with the yellow royal ceramic tiles (Tile glazed gold) is divided into three layers of overlap is called Trung Thiem Diep Oc. The decoration on the roofs is all about dragons, the symbol of the power of the emperor. In the middle of the roof is the wine gourd to receive the holy spirit from Heaven and Ground, Yin and Yang for the balance.

How did it work in Thai Hoa Palace Hue?

The courtyard is in the front of Thai Hoa Palace, where the great mandarins standing in order to do business with the emperor. In the palace, only Emperor dwells on the throne, the princes and the 4 highest mandarins standing on the right and left.

Thai Hoa Palace Hue is the largest, majesty, most magnificent Palace remaining in Hue. Along with other monuments, the Hue Imperial Citadel complex is recognized as a world cultural heritage site by Unesco.

How to visit?

You can buy an entrance ticket to visit the complex of Hue Citadel includes Thai Hoa Palace by yourself. But we highly recommend you book the Hue City Group Tour or Hue City Tour By Private Car with a local guide via Best Hue City Tour Travel. That is a perfect way to understand deeply the wonderful information about the Nguyen dynasty.