Hue

Hue is the third largest city of Vietnam, with great historical and cultural significance as the capital of the Empire of Annam, specifically the Nguyen Dynasty starting with King Nguyen Anh in 1802. It is in Thua Thien prefecture, of north-central Vietnam. 660 km from Hanoi and 1080 km from Saigon, it is a geographical center, also providing access to the Central Highlands.

Many of the imperial and colonial structures survive, and on December 11, 1993, UNESCO declared its Complex of Monuments of Hue to be a World Cultural Heritage.

Transportation

It is on the main north-south road of Vietnam, National Highway 1.

Vietnam War

It has been strongly identified as a Buddhist city, although during the Ngo Dinh Diem years, it also was the seat of the Catholic Archbishop, Ngo Dinh Thuc. Diem's brother Ngo Dinh Can, also ruled from there; it was the headquarters of I Corps tactical zone.

Hue was the site of the fiercest fighting in the Tet Offensive of 1968.