Saigon-Hue #6

Citadel walls and moat, at dusk. Hué, Vietnam.

The Imperial City (Vietnamese: Kinh thành Huế) in Huế is a walled fortress and palace in the former capital of Vietnam.

Gate, inside the citadel. Hué, Vietnam

"In June 1802 Nguyễn Phúc Ánh took control of Vietnam and proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long.  Gia Long confided with geomancers to decide which was the best place for a new palace and citadel to be built. After [deciding] on a suitable site in Huế, building began in 1804. Thousands of workers were ordered to produce a wall and moat, 10 kilometers long. 

View of moat, walls and imperial-era building. Hué, Vietnam.

In the early morning hours of January 31, 1968, as part of the Tet Offensive a Division-sized force of North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong soldiers launched a coordinated attack on Huế seizing most of the city. During the initial phases of the Battle of Hue, due to Huế's religious and cultural status, Allied forces were ordered not to bomb or shell the city, for fear of destroying the historic structures; but as casualties mounted in the house-to-house fighting these restrictions were progressively lifted and the fighting caused substantial damage to the Imperial City. Out of 160 buildings only 10 major sites remain because of the battle." (via Wikipedia)