Huế (Vietnamese: [hwě] is a city in central Vietnam that was the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors from 1802 to 1945, and capital of the protectorate of Annam. A major attraction is its vast, 19th-century citadel, surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It encompasses the Imperial City, with palaces and shrines; the Forbidden Purple City, once the emperor's home; and a replica of the Royal Theater. The city was also the battleground for the Battle of Huế which was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War