Dong Khanh Tomb – Best Hue Royal Tomb

Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Introduction

Dong Khanh Tomb, also known as Tu Lang, is a unique part of the Hue royal tomb system. With the harmony in Asian-European architectural styles, the imperial tomb of Dong Khanh bears high values of structure, art, and decoration.

Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Besides, the Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb has great significance in Vietnamese history, with 35 years of construction and 100 years of existence. Indeed, its values were recognized by UNESCO in 1993, and it became part of the world’s cultural heritage.

Therefore, many tourists have been fascinated by this royal tomb. If you are one of them, let’s dig into more details with Vietnam Vacation Travel!

Dong Khanh Tomb Travel Guide

Where Is Dong Khanh Tomb?

Address: Doan Nhu Hai Street, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City

Dong Khanh Tomb location is in a rustic site of Cu Si Village, which now becomes part of a ward amid Hue City. This position gives the tomb of Dong Khanh stunning views of Thien An Hill and Thien Thai Mountain.

Tomb Of Dong Khanh - Vietnam Vacation Travel

It is about 7 kilometers away from the Imperial City. Nearby, there are other imperial tombs such as Tu Duc Tomb, Thieu Tri Tomb, Kien Phuc Tomb, and more. Hence, it’s quite convenient for tourists to visit this royal tomb complex.

Tomb of Dong Khanh map:

If you want to enjoy the best highlights of Hue, royal tombs and other destinations, you should consider our Hue tours:

How To Get To Dong Khanh Tomb Hue?

It’s not difficult to get to Dong Khanh Tomb in Hue, Vietnam. You can easily visit this place with many vehicles, such as motorcycles, taxis, or car rentals.

If you choose to ride a motorcycle on your own, you can use Google Maps to find the right way. Yet, there are many different routes leading to the tomb. You might try our suggestions:

Find Bui Thi Xuan Street and go ahead until you see Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street. Turn onto this street and keep going until you see the Tu Duc Tomb. From Tu Duc Tomb, go ahead for about 100 meters. On your left, you will see a sign showing the way to Dong Khanh Tomb. It’s Doan Nhu Hai Street. Go along that street, and you will see the tomb.

Imperial Tomb of Dong Khanh - Vietnam Vacation Travel

If you find the directions too tiring to follow, you can book customized tours provided by Vietnam Vacation Travel. With our 10-year experience in tourism, especially in the Vietnamese central region, we can provide good tours and transfer options for you.

Dong Khanh Tomb Entrance Fee

Dong Khanh Tomb ticket price latest updates:

  • For adults: 100.000 VND/person (~ 4 USD/person)
  • For under-12 children: free of charge

The tickets are available at the ticket window just in front of the tomb, or you can have a travel agent pick them up.

Travel agents frequently give you more recommendations, such as Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, or Hue Imperial Citadel. These combo tickets might be more cost-effective and handy for your trip if you have been to only a few attractions in Hue.

Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb Hue - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Dong Khanh Tomb Opening Hours

It is open to tourists every day from 07:00 to 17:30.

Best Time To Visit

Based on the experiences of many travelers, the best time to visit Dong Khanh Tomb and other destinations in Hue is in the early months of the year, from January to April. It’s very pleasant during this time because the monsoon’s gone and the hot summer hasn’t come.

With such favorable weather, you can visit many other places in Hue besides this tomb, especially outdoor sites such as the Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, and so on.

But different times in Hue give you different views and experiences. So just come to this land anytime you want, and you may make unexpected but memorable memories.

Best time to visit Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

History Of Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb

People may feel very astonished by the fact that Dong Khanh Tomb’s construction lasted for 35 years and 4 reigns of Dong Khanh, Thanh Thai, Duy Tan, and Khai Dinh. So why did it take so long?

Due to many upheavals in the country at that time, the construction progress of Dong Khanh Tomb confronted many changes and delays.

Kien Thai Vuong Prince (1845-1876) was the father of 3 Nguyen Emperors—Kien Phuc, Ham Nghi, and Dong Khanh Emperor. In 1888, Dong Khanh Emperor wanted to build his father a shrine named Truy Tu.

However, during the construction, the emperor had a serious illness and passed away at the very young age of 25. After his death, the Thanh Thai Emperor came to the throne in a difficult and complicated situation. Therefore, the royal family had to use the ongoing shrine as the tomb of Dong Khanh Emperor.

Old photo of Dong Khanh Tomb Hue - Vietnam Vacation Travel
An old photo of Dong Khanh Tomb

Not until 1916, when Khai Dinh Emperor (a son of Dong Khanh Emperor) came to the throne, was Dong Khanh Tomb seriously completed. Khai Dinh did the restoration and decoration of his father’s mausoleum in 7 years.

The constructions in this tomb were mainly made under Khai Dinh’s reign. He gradually built Ngung Hy Shrine, Bai Dinh Pavilion, Nghi Mon Gate, Bi Dinh Pavilion, and many statues. Finally, everything was completed in 1923.

Hue Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Dong Khanh Tomb Architecture

Built through 4 different reigns with many changes, Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb Hue harmoniously combines traditional and modern architecture. It has the traditional structure of Tu Duc Tomb and the modern details of Khai Dinh Tomb.

In terms of structure, Dong Khanh Tomb is not too different from previous royal tombs, such as Minh Mang or Tu Duc Tomb. Both shrine and tomb parts include 20 constructions laid quite near one another. But the structure somewhat changed due to many factors occurring during such a long process.

In general, it isn’t made with absolute traditional art but delicately blended with European art.

Dong Khanh Tomb Architecture - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Worship Area

The highlight of Dong Khanh Tomb’s worship area is Ngung Hy Shrine. This construction shows the high values in architecture, art, and decoration. It still retains the old architecture of double roofs and duplex houses, as well as many other imperial constructions.

Ngung Hy Shrine Hue - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Moreover, the shrine’s position reflects traditional Feng-Shui beliefs. A semicircular lake was placed in front of the shrine to create a “Minh Duong” position (a bright place for an emperor to solve his business). Plus, it faces Thien An Hill, which turns the hill into a Feng-Shui front for this construction.

Inside the Ngung Hy shrine, pillars and furniture were painted red and gilded gorgeously. Also, there are many traditional decorations, such as four mascots, four seasonal plants, and ancient artworks showing folk tales or images.

Ngung Hy Shrine in Dong Khanh's Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

With these traditional values, Ngung Hy Shrine has preserved Vietnamese lacquer art very well. Also, its decorative details made with colored glazed earthenware have promoted Hue’s art. Glazed earthenware is a perfect material for constructions in a land of extreme weather like Hue.

Worship place of Dong Khanh Emperor - Vietnam Vacation Travel

However, because it was built at the dawn of modernism, many details were imbued with European styles. There are many windows and doors made with colorful pieces of glass. Two pictures depicting the war between France and Prussia are placed in the shrine. Also, many modern exhibits, such as perfumes, sticks, and clocks, are displayed here.

Dong Khanh Ngung Hy Shrine - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Burial Area

While European influences just vaguely appear in the shrine, Dong Khanh Emperor’s burial area seems to be totally “Europeanized”. It shows in almost every part, from construction materials to decorative patterns.

Dong Khanh Emperor's burial site - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Two rows of Mandarin statues were made of cement with a tall but slim appearance, unlike the traditional rock ones with a short appearance in Tu Duc Tomb. Moreover, Bi Dinh Pavilion reflects European features in materials, such as bricks instead of rocks, ardoise roofs instead of glazed ones, and chequered floors instead of Bat Trang ones.

Mausoleum of Dong Khanh Emperor Hue - Vietnam Vacation Travel

The European style gives the tomb a new appearance. It has opened a door for the combination between Asia-Europe and tradition-modernism in construction. Despite those foreign features, deep-rooted beliefs about Feng-Shui are demonstrated in the tomb’s position and some details.

Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

The burial area was placed face-to-face with Thien Thai Mountain in the East-Eastsouth, creating a Feng-Shui position. Also, they built a rock folding screen in front of Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb. With Feng-Shui meaning of longevity, it shows the hope to compensate for the short life of Dong Khanh Emperor.

Dong Khanh Tomb - Vietnam Vacation Travel

Conclusion

The Imperial Tomb of Dong Khanh is a good choice for those who love to learn more about Vietnamese culture and history. Come and enjoy the peaceful space of an ancient tomb in Hue!

Vietnam Vacation Travel hopes that our article gives you a useful guide for your trip to Hue and royal tombs. Thanks for reading!