Phu Van Lau Pavilion in Hue: An Honest Review & Practical Visit Guide

Description and Is It Worth Visiting

Phu Van Lau Pavilion in Hue is a historical building that you have almost certainly seen many times, even without visiting the imperial capital. After all, it is depicted on the 50,000 Vietnamese dong banknote. This is a typical example of how tourists often pass by iconic places, rushing to the famous Imperial Citadel, while this small pavilion remains off the main path.

Built in 1819 during the reign of Emperor Gia Long, it served as a crucial communication channel between the emperor and the people. In the era before newspapers and television, royal decrees were read aloud here to the gathered crowd on the main road, and then posted on special tablets inside the pavilion for public review. Lists of successful candidates who passed the imperial exams for official positions were also published here — an event that could change a person's destiny. The ceremonies were so important that stone steles once stood in front of the building, reminding all passersby to remove their hats and dismount from horses as a sign of respect for imperial authority.

But the pavilion's life was not limited to official ceremonies. According to historical records, it witnessed rather unusual events. For example, in 1829, Emperor Minh Mang staged a fight between an elephant and a tiger here to entertain the court. And the following year, he celebrated his birthday in this pavilion for three consecutive days. Later, Emperor Thieu Tri even included the view of the Perfume River and Phu Van Lau among the twenty most beautiful landscapes of Hue. It's hard to imagine, looking at today's peaceful place, that such passions once raged here.

The pavilion has survived a lot. It was destroyed by a typhoon in 1904, after which it was rebuilt, and in 2014 one of its corners collapsed due to termite damage, but it was quickly restored. This living history, which you can literally touch, seems to us even more fascinating than its perfect photogenic views.

To be honest, we consider this place more as a good backdrop for photos and an opportunity to reflect on the past than as an object for long study. It's usually not crowded here, and you can take good shots of the pavilion itself, as well as the opening view of the Citadel walls and the Flag Tower across the river. By the way, it's exactly this angle that made it onto the banknote.

Considering that the pavilion is located literally a hundred meters from the entrance to the Citadel through the South Gate (Ngo Mon), it's worth stopping by. Spend a few minutes here on your way to the fortress or on your way back. This time will be quite enough to appreciate its elegant lines and the peaceful atmosphere around, as well as compare the real view with the image on the banknote. This adds an extra, personal interest to the visit.