The Hue Tiger Arena was used for fights between elephants and tigers to entertain the King, mandarins, and people. It was also a training field for elephants to practice for fighting in the battlefields. (Photo: Tran Thien)
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The Tiger Arena has two rings. The inner ring is 5.9 m high and the outer ring is 4.75 m high, including the handrail. Between the two walls is a space of 4 m at the top and 5 m at the base.
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The Tiger Arena has a simple but solid structure. It was built of bricks, stone bars, and mortar. The arena is quite intact until now.
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Although there wasn't a safe area for tiger-elephant fights in the early Nguyen dynasty, fights were still organized as big festivals of the court and the people. In 1830 King Minh Mang ordered the construction of the arena on Long Tho hill.
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Around the area are 5 tiger cages and 1 huge archway for elephants.
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The King's grand stand faced south-east of the arena, higher and larger than other positions.
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Opposite to the King’s standing are 3 small and 2 big tiger cages.
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Tigers were caged, but elephants not.
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The elephants went in and out of the area through a huge archway which is 1.9 m wide and 4 m high. They were not caged. The archway’s door has two large wooden wings and stone hinges.
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The Hue Tiger Arena is a special historical relic site in Vietnam which was recognized as a National Relic Site in 1998. The last tiger-elephant fight was documented in 1904 under King Thanh Thai.
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