Published:  14:59 Monday - August 20, 2012

Khai Tuong Lau (An Dinh palace) where the last king Bao Dai of Vietnam and his family lived from 1945 to 1955 has opened for tourists.

The palace was built by King Khai Dinh, before he enthroned. Khai Dinh’s son, Bao Dai, lived here from 1922, and 17 years laters, it became the assets of Bao Dai’s eldest son, Bao Long.

Before 1945, this Palace was managed by the Nguyen Dynasty. After August 1945, it became the home of King Bao Dai’s mother and Bao Dai’s family. Then in 1954, Ngo Dinh Diem administration confiscated the palace. Bao Dai’s mother bought the house at No.79 Phan Dinh Phung to stay until she died.

After 1975, the revolutionary administration took over and gave the palace back to Bao Dai’s mother but she donated the palace to the government. An Dinh Palace was then managed by the Hue Labor Cultural House before it was handed over to the Center for Preservation of Hue Relics in early 2012.

The palace was restored between 2007 and 2008. The Center for Preservation of Hue Relics and German experts restored the 2,000m2 mural in the palace.

There are some photos of the palaces.

 Source: VOV