Foreign and local visitors to the former Royal Palace freely viewed the royal costumes in Ta Vu, the building used by mandarins before having audience with the king.— Photo dantri

THUA THIEN-HUE  (VNS) — Hue yesterday opened its heritage sites free of charge, a week-long move to celebrate the locality's liberation day.

Foreign and local visitors to the former Royal Palace freely viewed the royal costumes in Ta Vu, the building used by mandarins before having audience with the king.

Visitors can also enjoy presentation by actors dressed in royal and ancient soldiers' costumes.

Free shows of nha nhac (Hue royal court music) will be performed in the royal garden and other regal enclosures.

Performances of ca Hue, a type of local folk music, will be given every morning at Truong Sanh (Longevity) palace.

According to Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, the shows are meant to give visitors a taste of local culture and to draw more crowds to the Hue Festival which strats on April 12.

In the coming week, prices for tickets in many places, including the Royal Palace, Khai Dinh Tomb, and Minh Mang Tomb, will be discounted by 20-50 per cent. — VNS