Hue was the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. At its heart and surrounded by moats, lies the Purple Forbidden City, the residence of the Nguyen Emperors. Although it was severely damaged during the war, the remains of the citadel, which have been partially restored, still contain many interesting sights. South of the city are the imperial tombs with the most important being: Tu Duc, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh. As well as several sites of historical interest ‘Hue cuisine’ is also celebrated throughout Vietnam and is an important strand of Vietnam’s culinary heritage.