On the evening of April 25, at Hue Imperial Citadel, within the framework of Hue Festival 2026, the art program “Enchanting Imperial Palace” officially opened. The event offers a variety of experiential areas, recreating the shimmering and enchanting beauty of Hue’s royal heritage at night.

On the evening of April 25, the art program “Enchanting Imperial Palace” will officially open at Hue Imperial Citadel. Combining royal court art with modern technology, the program promises to offer visitors a fresh and immersive experience. At the same time, it serves as an important pilot step in developing a night-time economy linked to heritage.

After nearly 80 years of existing as little more than a foundation, Dai Cung Mon - the main gate of the Forbidden Purple City – will be reconstructed. The project will help complete the central axis of Hue Imperial Citadel and open up a new heritage experience space for visitors.

Within the cultural complex of Hue, if the system of palaces and royal tombs defines the face of an Imperial capital, the villages along the lagoon and coastline preserve the depth of community life. There, heritage does not lie dormant in the past but lives on in every festival season, every daily custom, and every belief tied to the natural environment. The Cau Ngu Festival of Thai Duong village, held once every three years in January at the Thuan An seaport, is precisely such a heritage - a vibrant cultural practice where community memory, maritime knowledge, and the will to survive have woven together into an enduring whole across hundreds of years.

Within the tranquil setting of Hue Imperial Citadel, the melodies of nha nhac (Royal Court Music) resonate slowly and steadily. This enduring musical flow quietly carries echoes of the past, along with the steadfast efforts of those who dedicate themselves each day to preserving the heritage.

The heritage space of Hue’s Imperial Citadel is being retold in a new language, the language of technology. At the Royal Treasury Palace, stories of the past are no longer meant solely to be observed, but also to be touched, listened, and experienced, opening up a gentle, emotionally resonant way of engaging with the heritage of Hue Ancient Capital.

At the heart of the Imperial City of Hue, the 180-year-old Co Mat Vien (Supreme council for military and major state affairs of the Nguyen Dynasty) is gradually being revitalized in a new guise. Formerly the seat of the highest decisions of the Nguyen Dynasty, the space is being shaped into a center for creativity, education, and heritage experiences for the community.

On the afternoon of December 18, at the Ruong House space - the Royal Treasury Palace (Hue Imperial Citadel), Hue Monuments Conservation Center, in collaboration with Phygital Labs, officially launched the Culture - Heritage - Technology Experience Space.

For centuries, the land of Hue has been renowned for the skillful hands of its artisans. This region is a place not only preserves the cultural heritage of the imperial court, but also serves as the cradle that maintains and develops hundreds of unique traditional craft villages. However, in the face of global integration trends, Hue’s craft villages are confronting numerous challenges.

Through an interdisciplinary approach involving cultural anthropology, sociology, linguistics, and heritage studies, the project “Core elements that create Hue’s identity, a distinctive land in Vietnamese culture - once the Imperial Capital, a center of culture - religion - arts, and a symbol of deep-rooted traditions” seeks to clarify the role and value of Hue’s identity within the broader national culture. At the same time, it suggests directions for sustainable preservation and promotion in the context of modernization and globalization.