Huế seen from an airplane in 1932 — and why you're still lost in the Citadel

In 1932, a French pilot flew over Huế and took this photograph. Viewed from above, the Imperial Citadel was neat, symmetrical, and so clearly laid out that it seemed impossible to lose one's way.

Then you come down to the ground.

The Citadel spans approximately 36 hectares. The map at the entrance is beautifully drawn and completely useless, because it shows a bird's-eye view—whereas you're standing in the middle of a courtyard surrounded by four identical yellow walls, and every passageway leads to yet another yellow gate.

A few survival tips:

• The main axis is your lifeline. Ngọ Môn → Điện Thái Hoà → Tử Cấm Thành lie on a straight north-south axis. If you get lost, just find your way back to this axis. • Wear flat shoes. Brick-paved ground, scorching sunlight, and you'll end up walking about three times more than you expected. • Go early in the morning. From 10 AM onwards, that sprawling courtyard becomes like a pan. • Bring water. Inside, there aren't many shops, and the prices are exactly what you'd expect.

A consoling thought: the photograph above shows that most of the structures in the area were once much more densely packed than they are now. War has taken away many things. So if you see the Imperial Citadel is now spacious — it used to be even more crowded than this.