An Hien Garden houses – the type of ancient houses often encountered in the ancient capital of Hue. It includes a Ruong House and a large garden, designed in feng shui with left – right, front – back all have support and shield objects. The house has 5,000 sqm and is one of the most ancient Ruong house in Hue with age of 120 years old.
How An Hien Garden houses is Unique?
It’s symbolizing the uniqueness of typical architecture in Hue Imperial city with its architectural style is both aristocratic and traditional characters. And of course when referring to Hue old gardeners, the name should not miss is An Hien garden house.
The house is currently located at 58 Nguyen Phuc Nguyen Street (Before was Xuan Hoa Village), Huong Long Commune, Hue City.
It is worth a visit An Hien Garden House
Hue city remains hundreds of Ruong Garden house, a typical house of Hue Imperial City under the reign of Nguyen Dynasty. And An Hien Garden house is the typical one of this architecture style for discover in Hue city. Moreover, it is famous for its history and the art of the house and garden as its household’s aim.
The overall layout of the home and garden populations is very well organized. The compartments are not many, but they are arranged very methodically according to the previous Feng Shui style.
In the middle of the garden is a three wings, two-wing house with typical architectural features of Hue Ruong House at that time. The walkway from the entrance to the house is decorated with two rows of white birch trees on both sides to create a rustic arch.
Why is An Hien garden house so beautiful and lovely?
An Hien changed owners several times. Strangely, every time change the owner. But the owner of this house are writers who love poetry.
The most impression when mentions the garden is many flowers and plants of An Hien. Not luxuriant as the royal gardens in the palace. An Hien garden owns a few things but all types, from ordinary flowers. Such as jasmine, lychee, pomegranate, sun, micro walls to rare varieties, etc.
This place has its own beauty. So if your Hue city tour to visit An Hien giving visitors the feeling of being separate, peaceful, relaxed, home-style, sticky garden that poetic, peaceful and quiet.
An Hien Garden House history
According to the family documents, the first owner is the 18th Princess of Duc Duc King before 1895. This house was the Princess residence. Until 1895, this house belonged to Mr Pham Dang Khanh who calls aunt Tu Du Queen Dowager Queen. After that, the house has changed owners many times. Because of the individual owner’s circumstances, as well as the general historical context. And all of them are princes, mandarins and upper class in Hue.
The longest owner was Mrs Dao Thi Xuan Yen from 1936 to 1997 when her husband Mr Nguyen Dinh Chi passed away. He bought this house in 1934 when it was named An Hien from Mr Pham Dang Thap. A mandarin since Nguyen Dynasty at the end of 19th century.
Mrs Dao Thi Yen Xuan or local people called Mrs Tung Chi built and raised the trees in the garden as the typical Hue garden house. The garden has many trees, flowers from many provinces all three parts of the country as well as has valued for economy.
Mrs Tung Chi was a famous person in the history for years of finding independent and peace in Hue city. She was born in Binh Dinh and went to Hue for studying at Dong Khanh High School. She was expelled from High School because of dismissed. However, she was the principal of this high school from 1952 to 1955.
She was the first woman in the Central Vietnam to pass a Western baccalaureate, good at French, English and Chinese. She was a vice president of the Union of Forces for Ethnic, Democracy and Peace of Hue City. And she was also a member of the Interim Government Advisory Council of the Republic of South Vietnam, and a member of the National Assembly for the first term after the reunification date in 1976. Researcher Mr Nguyen Dac Xuan calls Mrs Tuan Chi “cultural mother”.
How about the An Hien Garden House after 1997?
After Mrs Tuan Chi passed way in 1997, her heirs are living oversea. An Hien Garden house gradually became devastated due to the lack of caregivers. The three-room and two-leaned roof house was also heavily degraded, many interior objects were lost.
The reason which makes many people have loved this garden house to feel worry it will be the same as some garden houses in Hue for separated into many parts.
Luckily, Silk Path hotels in Hanoi bought this house and found many ways to remain this house as original. They kept all trees, flowers, jackfruits, etc which Mrs Tuan Chi grew them. Besides, they grow many valuable trees to change for old trees and make the garden more beautiful.
The new owner tried many ways to find lost things and objects to return this house again. Those are two galleries that are originally hung on the girder of the worship space, a bowl of enameled porcelain incense. The marble stones of the pillars, copper pots, spittoon, etc scattered everywhere were brought back to the old place.
What you can see in An Hien Garden House?
The new owner of the garden doesn’t put the income for first aim. Their aim to remain the original and history values in Hue city. The garden house opens to welcome tourist every day.
When visiting, tourists can see the ancient house, architecture, garden and learn more of the owner of the house Mrs Tuan Chi. Furthermore, visitors can enjoy Hue folk songs in the Ruong house. The new one built in the corner of the house to understand more of traditional music in Hue.
Very close An Hien house, Thien Mu pagoda is about 1km and on the same road, it is easy to have the combination for all visiting.
Huyen Khong pagoda and same road from Thien Mu pagoda to the west 3.9km, you can make a visiting both.
How to go there?
By boat: You can take a boat trip on Perfume River and combine with Thien Mu pagoda to visit the garden house
By motorbike or car: It is easy to travel from city centre along the road of Perfume River on the north bank of river and city. You will reach it easily
It is great for:
- Enjoy Hue folk song and learn about traditional music of Hue city
- Learn and understand more for discover culture, traditional value of Hue people, house, etc
- Take photography with ancient architecture lovers
Quick tips before arriving An Hien Garden House:
- Entrance fee: 35,000 VND (~ 1.6 USD/person)
- Visit all years round, but if travel by boat should not do it when rainy season in October and November when the river water is high for safe.
With the information about An Hien Garden House above and we hope you will get best holiday in Hue, Vietnam. Let’s contact our local expert if anything unclear at 84829098686.
