The Ngo Mon Gate is the main entrance to the Imperial City in Hué.
The middle gate used to be for the emperor only. Other visitors had to pass through the doors next to this gate. Above the gate is the Lau Ngu Phung pavilion (pavilion of the five phoenixes). On the first floor, the emperor appeared at important events. Here, Emperor Bao Dai (of the Nguyen dynasty) handed over his seal to Ho Chi Minh's government, and thus the imperial office in Vietnam disappeared.
The second floor was reserved for the emperor's mother and wives. From behind the half-blinded windows, they could watch the outside world without being seen themselves.
In the centre of the complex is the Forbidden Purple City. Here were the private quarters of the imperial family. The city was built along the lines of the court of the Chinese Emperors).
The comlex suffered a lot during the Vietnam War. Particularly during the Tet offensive, much was destroyed and thus little remained. Meanwhile, a start has been made to rebuild everything.
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