From August 30 to September 1, 2025 (the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of the Lunar July), tourists and local people will enjoy free entrance to Hue Nam relic (Hon Chen Temple) during Hue Nam Temple Festival.

Alongside preservation of palaces and temples, the heritage conservation efforts in the Ancient Capital also include the care, restoration, and propagation of trees, protecting ancient and precious species within relic sites, helping maintain the harmonious beauty of architecture and nature - a hallmark of Hue’s heritage space.

A friend of mine just came from the Southeastern region to visit Hue. After a day visiting various destinations, from the Imperial Citadel to the tombs of Emperors Gia Long and Minh Mang, then heading to the Van Thanh - Vo Thanh temples and Thien Mu Pagoda, my friend warmly remarked: “In Hue, wherever you go, you can see the Huong River. Now I understand why people here are so gentle and friendly. In this scene, by this river, it’s hard even to get upset!”.

When people think of Hue, many envision a serene land “steeped” in Buddhism with hundreds of temples and pagodas. Amid the bustling rhythm of a modern Hue, life behind each pagoda gate is far from dull, but it is a refined embodiment of spiritual beauty that deeply enriches the inner world of many residents of the Ancient Capital. Here, every scene, every space, every presence expressed a quiet, profound stillness, like a sutra in motion.

On July 30th, Hue City Department of Culture and Sports announced that Hue City People’s Committee has issued an official document approving the continuing of archaeological excavation of the remaining area approximately 200 square meters at Lieu Coc Twin Towers site (Kim Tra Ward, Hue City). The goal is to gain a comprehensive and complete understanding of the Lieu Coc temple-tower complex.

On the morning of March 30th, a ceremony was held at Nghinh Luong Dinh Pavilion, situated on the bank of the poetic Perfume River (Phu Xuan Ward), to officially receive Hue Nam Temple Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In the years from 1930 to 1937, painter Mai Trung Thu was appointed to teach drawing at Quoc Hoc High School. Here, his talent blossomed. Series of his paintings were born, depicting gentle Hue girls, the charming scenery of the Huong river and the temples and royal mausoleums. His paintings in Hue rendered him a solid position in modern Vietnamese painting.

A great number of tourists and locals flocked into the Huyen Tran Temple Festival held on At Ty new year’s days. This was an event held by the Department of Culture and Sports, opening on the morning of the lunar January 9th (February 6) at Huyen Tran Cultural Center, located at the foot of Ngu Phong Mountain (An Tay Ward, Thuan Hoa District).

On December 11, representatives of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports informed that the Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced the decision to include the Hue Nam Temple Festival (Huong Tho Commune, Hue City) and Van Cu noodle-making craft (Huong Toan Commune, Huong Tra Town) in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

“Coloring heritage” and “Hue Art Memory Game” featuring traditional Vietnamese motifs from the Nguyen Dynasty are part of the “Heritage education” program for 2024, jointly organized by Hue Monuments Conservation Center and GEKE (German society for the Preservation of cultural heritage). The program is held at Phung Tien Temple in Hue Imperial Citadel and is entirely free for children.