Mausoleum of Emperor Gia Long

About this audio guide

This guide to the Mausoleum of Emperor Gia Long in Hue follows the founder of Vietnam's last royal dynasty, from a teenage prince fleeing rebellion, through years of exile and alliance-building, to the throne he won in eighteen oh two. It centers on the hillside tomb he built for his empress, Thua Thien, and the burial he later ordered for himself beside her, against the strict Confucian order he spent his reign enforcing. You will hear how the site was chosen, and how building it nearly cost him his life.