Where is Tinh Tam Lake in Hue? Area, depth, and role in the ancient Hue Citadel

Tinh Tam Lake is located in the northeast corner of the Hue Citadel, at the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang and Tinh Tam streets, just a few minutes away from the Imperial City. This is one of the representative royal gardens of the Nguyen Dynasty, famous for its elegant landscape and special historical value. The predecessor of the lake was Ky Te Lake, formed by renovating a section of the Kim Long River during King Gia Long's reign. In 1838, King Minh Mang replanned and rebuilt the entire site, officially naming it Tinh Tam Lake, turning it into a relaxation and sightseeing space exclusively for the royal family.

Throughout the Nguyen Dynasty, Tinh Tam Lake was a favorite destination for Kings Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, and Tu Duc to admire lotuses, write poems, enjoy tea, and seek relaxation amid the royal court. With its harmonious beauty between architecture and nature, the lake was ranked by King Thieu Tri as one of the "Twenty Scenic Spots of the Capital" – the 20 most beautiful landscapes of the Hue Capital.

Not only possessing landscape value, Tinh Tam Lake also played an important role in the Citadel's planning as an ecological space regulating the landscape and creating balance between royal architecture and nature. In 2004, the lake was classified as a National Relic of artistic architectural type, affirming the unique historical, cultural, and architectural value of the monument.

Tinh Tam Lake has a rectangular shape with a perimeter of nearly 1,500 meters. A study by Hue cultural expert Ho Vinh in 1993 showed that Tinh Lake only retained an L-shaped plane with an area of about 12.6 hectares. Although specific information about the depth is not detailed in historical documents, as a Royal Garden, the lake was built to create scenery and a relaxing space rather than serve as a deep reservoir.

The lake is separated from the outside by a high brick wall enclosure, featuring four gates on four sides: Ha Huan to the south, Dong Hy to the north, Xuan Quang to the east, and Thu Nguyet to the west.

With an elaborate yet natural-harmonious style, the architecture of Tinh Tam Lake is considered a typical achievement of Vietnamese landscape architecture. There are three main islands on the lake: Bong Lai, Phuong Truong, and Doanh Chau, each serving as a focal point for architectural works.

• Bong Lai Island is located in the south of the lake, centered around Bong Doanh Palace, which was intricately built with a yellow glazed tile roof.

• Phuong Truong Island is located in the north, highlighted by the two-story Nam Huan Pavilion and a system of corridors connecting the structures.

• Doanh Chau Island is located in the south, connected to the east and west banks by Kim Oanh Dike in the middle of the lake.

In the middle of Tinh Tam Lake is also Kim Oanh Dike, connecting the east and west banks. On the dike stands Luc Lieu Bridge, to the south of the dike is a 56-compartment long corridor, and in the middle are Bach Tan Bridge and Thanh Tuoc Pavilion - where the king's royal boat moored.

The beauty of Tinh Tam Lake became an endless source of inspiration for many poems by Nguyen kings such as Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, and Tu Duc. Most prominent is the poem "Tinh ho ha hung" (Summer inspiration at Tinh Lake), part of the poem series "Twenty Scenic Spots of the Capital" by King Thieu Tri. The poem praised the clear, tranquil beauty of Tinh Lake with its harmonious natural landscape and grand open skies, affirming the lake's role not only as an architectural work but also as a cultural and spiritual symbol of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Today, although many architectural structures of the lake have been damaged or dismantled, Tinh Tam Lake remains an attractive destination for visitors, especially during the lotus blooming season. Preserving and restoring this monument not only helps preserve a valuable heritage but also continues to tell the story of a golden age of the Hue Citadel.

At the end of the journey of exploration, Tinh Tam Lake is not only a historical relic but also a space of poetry and art. Although time and events have faded much of the ancient architecture, the tranquil, romantic beauty of the lake remains, touching people's hearts. If you want to find a peaceful place, immerse your soul in a nostalgic space, and gaze at blooming white lotus petals, let Tinh Tam Lake tell its own story. Book a Tinh Tam Lake tour now to witness firsthand and feel the magical beauty and poetic soul of the ancient Citadel.