The south façade of the Kien Trung Palace in the 1920s
Bird's eye view of the Kien Trung palace within the Imperial City of Hue
Bird's eye view of the Imperial City of Hué, with in the middle the Dung Dao Axis. The Kien Trung palace is the last palace in the back
Plan of the Imperial City of Hué. The Kien Trung palace is number 12
The papier mache model of the Kien Trung palace, which was burned during the funeral ceremony of emperor Khải Định
The anti-chambre of the Kien Trung palace in 1928

Kien Trung Palace (Vietnamese: Điện Kiến Trung) is a palace within the Imperial City of Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. It was the residence of the last two emperors of the Nguyễn dynasty.[1] It was destroyed by the Viet Minh in 1947 during the Indochina Wars. Reconstruction started in 2019 and was completed in 2023. The palace is now open to the public.

History

In 1921, Emperor Khải Định (1885-1925) started to build a new palace in European style within the Forbidden Purple City of Huế.[1] When completed in 1923, the Kien Trung palace became his own residence with the Imperial City.[1][2] Khải Định passed away at the palace in 1925. A model of palace in papier-mache was burned during the funeral ceremony, in the hope that his afterlife residence would be similar to the Kien Trung palace.[3]

Emperor Bảo Đại (1913-1997) would be the last monarch to live and work in the Kien Trung palace, together with his empress consort Nam Phương (1914-1963). Both departed from the tradition that the emperor and empress would live in separate residences. In 1932, the palace was modernized and redecorated.[2] Also, modern facilities were installed such as a bathroom.[2] Crown Prince Bảo Long (1936-2007) was born at the palace at 4 January 1936.

On 25 August 1945, emperor Bảo Đại drafted and signed his abdication statement at the palace.[4] Then he left for Hanoi, and afterwards took refuge in China. Nam Phương and their children moved to An Định palace before they also left Huế.[3][5]

During the anti-French struggles after the abdication between 1945 and 1947, the palace was destroyed by the Viet Minh.[1][6] What remained were sections of the balustrades, and foundations.[6]

In the 21st century, the decision was made to reconstruct the Kien Trung Palace. Construction started on 16 February 2019 and was completed by the end of 2023.[1][6] The palace opened to the public in 2024.[7]

Architecture

The Kien Trung palace was located at the far north of the Forbidden Purple City within the north–south axis (the so-called Dung Dao axis), behind the Can Thanh and Khon Thai palaces.[6] It was designed in eclectic style, mixing European styles (Italian Renaissance and French classicism) and ancient Vietnamese styles.[1][6] The palace replaced a pavilion that was constructed by emperor Minh Mạng (1791-1841), and which later was renovated under emperors Tự Đức (1829-1883) and Duy Tân (1900-1945).[1]

Its long facade facing south and decorated with colorful ceramics opened onto a geometric park in the Art Deco style which was accessed by small stone stairs decorated with dragons and snakes.[2] A balustrade with bulging French balusters ran the entire length in front the facade. This included thirteen openings on the ground floor and first floor, including a large portico door in the middle.[2] Two small projections rose on each side including a large door on the ground floor and a large window above, all topped with an Asian gable.[2] The central avant-corps included five openings on each floor.[2] Thus on each side of the central avant-corps the two recessed parts of the upper floor had three openings each.[2] All the windows were surrounded by ornate carved motifs.[2] The roof with its slightly raised sides was decorated with an Vietnamese-style parapet.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Restoration of Nguyen Dynasty's Kien Trung Palace starts". www.vietnamplus.vn. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Điện Kiến Trung lưu giữ nét đẹp kiến trúc một thời của Tử Cấm thành". www.mia.vn (in Vietnamese). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 Swart, Paula; Till, Barry (2015). "Between Two Worlds: Emperor Khai Dinh's Architectural Legacy". Arts of Asia. 45 (3): 117–133.
  4. ↑ Bảo Đại, Con Rồng Việt Nam [Bảo Đại, Dragon of Vietnam] (in Vietnamese). Nguyễn Phước Tộc Xuất Bản. 1990. Translated from Le dragon d'Annam, Bao Dai, Plon, 1980. (in French)
  5. ↑ Kemlein, Martin (2010). An Dinh Hués verborgener Schatz – Bá vât tiém ân cùa Hue – Hué’s Hiddden Pearl (in German, Vietnamese, and English). Berlin: Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany. p. 72.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "The restoration of Kien Trung Palace due to be completed by the end of 2023". www. baothuathienhue.vn. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Two former royal palaces to open door to visitors during Lunar New Year". www.vov.vn. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.

Literature

  • Hong Lien, Vu (2015). Royal Hue Heritage of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam. Bangkok: River Books. p. 272. ISBN 978-974-9863-95-4.
  • Swart, Paula; Till, Barry (2015). "Between Two Worlds: Emperor Khai Dinh's Architectural Legacy". Arts of Asia. 45 (3): 117–133.
  • Doling, Tim (2018). Exploring Huế. Hà Nội: Thế Giới Publishers. p. 524. ISBN 978-6047742233.
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