Long before the Imperial City of Hue was constructed, Kim Long served as the first seat of power for the Nguyen Lords as they expanded southward. Along the banks of the Perfume River, this area once functioned as an early political center, where crucial decisions were made amid garden houses and temple bells echoing through the trees. Traces of that era remain in its traditional garden residences and in sacred sites such as Chùa Thiên Mụ, a spiritual landmark that has witnessed the rise and transformation of the Nguyen dynasty. Even a bowl of bun bo Hue here reflects the meeting point of royal refinement and everyday flavors. To walk through Kim Long is to step into the foundational layer of Hue’s history — where governance, belief, and daily life once intertwined before the city became an imperial capital.