Historical landmark
Nam Giao Esplanade
Three-tiered altar of circular Heaven and square Earth terraces, climbed only by a fasting emperor.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Nam Giao Esplanade in Hue follows the ritual that once bound Vietnam's Nguyen emperors to Heaven itself, a three-day fast, a procession from the Citadel, and a solitary climb only the emperor could make. It traces the esplanade to founder Gia Long and its three-tiered, three-colored altar, then follows the rite through the reign of Bao Dai, the dynasty's last emperor. Best heard standing on the lower red terrace, the tier built for ordinary people, not emperors.
This audio guide was created using AI.