Which Vietnamese walled city was the imperial seat of the Nguyen dynasty?

The Vietnamese walled city that served as the imperial seat of the Nguyễn dynasty is the Imperial City of Huế.

The Imperial City, also called Đại Nội, is the royal enclosure inside Huế’s larger citadel. It contains palaces, ceremonial halls, temples, gardens, administrative offices, and the Purple Forbidden City, where the emperor and imperial household lived and worked. Huế served as the capital of the Nguyễn dynasty, Vietnam’s final imperial dynasty, until the monarchy ended in 1945.

Construction began in 1804 under Emperor Gia Long, who established Huế as the dynasty’s capital. The complex was expanded and remodelled, especially under Emperor Minh Mạng in the 19th century. Its layout reflects Vietnamese court traditions while also drawing on ideas associated with Chinese imperial architecture. The Meridian Gate and the Hall of Supreme Harmony are among its best-known ceremonial structures.

The Imperial City is sometimes confused with the entire Citadel of Huế. The Imperial City is one important walled enclosure within that larger historic complex. My Sơn Sanctuary is a Cham religious site, Thăng Long Citadel is associated with Hanoi, and Hội An is a historic trading port rather than a Nguyễn imperial seat.