Complex of Hu Monuments - Tomb of Tu Duc

In the summer of 2018, CyArk documented several monuments related to the Vietnamese Emperor Tu Duc at the Hu Monuments Complex. CyArk collaborated with the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC) to document the Hoa Khiem Temple, Tu Duc Tomb Stele Building, Tu Duc Queen's tomb and the nearby An Dinh Palace. Photogrammetry of both the interior and exterior of the monuments was completed with a Nikon D810 and a Phase One Medium format camera. Aerial photogrammetry was completed with a Phantom 4 Pro drone and scanning of the monuments was accomplished with a FARO X330 laser scanner. The HMCC requested assistance documenting these monuments as it had recently completed a restoration program on these buildings and wanted baseline documentation as well as a variety of digital assets to be used in the promotion of the site. The Complex of Hu Monuments is located within the Thua Thien-Hu Province in the geographical center of Vietnam. Established as the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802, Hu was not only the political but also the cultural and religious center under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. The Complex of Hu Monuments site has suffered from the effects of wars, as well as modern development and expanding human settlements. The Tu Duc Tomb is the final resting place of Emperor Tu Duc who reigned from 1848 until his death in 1883. Tu Duc faced encroaching colonialism from the west as well as turmoil within the Vietnam, particularly related to the construction of his tomb. In attempt reduce the construction time, managers of the project reduced the construction timeline from 6 years to 3 years by ridding of breaks for the laborers, resulting in a rebellion. Construction resumed after a one and a half month break, culminating in the construction of a tomb reflecting Tu Cuc's most extensive education in history, philosophy, literature, and art of all emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. External Project Link: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/8AICSDNH8yJsJQ Additional Info Link: https://cyark.org/projects/tomb-of-tu-duc-complex-of-hue-monuments