Hue was Vietnam's capital under the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Its vast citadel holds the Imperial City with its palaces and gates, and the emperors' tombs lie around it along the Perfume River. UNESCO inscribed the Complex of Hue Monuments in 1993. The road from Da Nang over the Hai Van Pass is one of Asia's finest coastal drives and takes about two and a half hours.