Visitors to the Tu Duc Royal Tomb in the old imperial city of Hue can get one step closer to understanding the nobility of times past – by dressing up as kings and queens.

A regal golden throne sits in the entrance area of the Tu Duc Royal Tomb along with several rows of chairs and a palanquin (a covered chair used to carry a person of importance).

A signboard on the throne and palanquin reads: “Without the royal costume, sitting on the throne is not allowed.”

And so, for a small fee, tourists flock to choose traditional outfits from two racks of clothing so they may sit on the regal chair and experience the feeling of royalty for 10 seconds.

For VND30,000 (US$1.9) visitors can purchase a ticket and try on the traditional royal garb.

The costume consists of a king or queen’s gown, crown and a pair of cloth shoes.

Kings and queens can then sit in the throne and have their photo taken by a professional photographer.

The throne is painted bright red and yellow, and adorned with gold trim.

At the foot are two stone “kylins” where the king or queen would rest their feet.

On one side of the throne is a palanquin with decorative fans and behind it are two pillars carved with mystical dragons.

Photos of the “kings” and “queens” are then mailed to their home addresses.

Tu Duc (1829-1883) was the fourth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal monarchy of Vietnam.

His mausoleum is located in Thuong Ba Hamlet, Thuy Xuan Commune, Hue City.

It consists of 50 ancient structures and is considered the most beautiful royal tomb of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Reported by Phan Huy Tram