The most iconic image of Hue — a seven-story octagonal tower rising from the south bank of the Perfume River, about 4 kilometres upstream from the Citadel. The Phuoc Duyen tower was built in 1844 for Emperor Thieu Tri and stands 21 metres tall; it was added to a pagoda that had already stood here since 1601, when Lord Nguyen Hoang ordered its construction after a prophecy that a pagoda on this site would bring prosperity to the land. It is the oldest pagoda in the city.
Behind the tower is a garden and the monastery grounds. A small museum in one of the pavilions displays the Austin Westminster car driven by the monk Thich Quang Duc to his self-immolation in Saigon in June 1963 — one of the defining acts of resistance of the Vietnam War era. The pagoda is still an active monastery; the atmosphere is contemplative and the riverside setting is beautiful. The easiest way to reach it is by bicycle along the south bank road or by dragon boat from the Truong Tien Bridge.