Located at 31 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Gia Hoi ward, Hue city, Ngoc Son Princess Residency was constructed in 1921 under Khai Dinh's reign.
Ngoc Son Princess Residency is known as one of the traditional garden houses in Hue. In 2.370m2 campus stands a "Ruong" house (panel house) which includes 3 compartments, 2 wings, 1 outbuilding and 1 kitchen. In 1920, prince consort bought the land and had construction works planned in Feng Shui law. To avoid noise and dust as well as create a quite space for worship purpose and daily life, the main house was designed to turn its back to the road.
The front gate leading to the garden house was simply constructed and decorated with "Lan mau xuat lan nhi" (a unicorn gives birth to its child) image featuring family happiness on top. After entering the main house through a curved path between two neatly cut lines of teas, a pretty large front yard appears. At the end of the yard stands a shallow pond where colorful water lilies blossom all year round. Next to the shallow pond is a miniature which features a harmony of nature and architecture as well as re-enact Vietnam image. Its nature element features "tu huu" (apricot, orchid, daisy, bamboo) and "tu thoi" (apricot, lotus, daisy, fir). The miniature looks even livelier as artisan carefully selected blocks of stones featuring animals such as elephant, bear, lion, crocodile, bird, turtle and monkey, etc. Especially, the largest block of stone placed at the middle of the miniature serves as the front screen. Its architectures feature ancient symbols of one-pillar pagoda, Linh Mu pagoda, temple, tower, bridge, etc. On both sides of the front garden stand two stone blocks representing “ta long huu ho” (“dragon on the left, tiger on the right”) Feng Shui law. Behind the miniature is a lake where red and white lotus blossom every summer. The garden is surrounded by bamboo and neatly cut lines of tea. Perennial fruit trees and ornamental plants are grown inside the garden.
The main house was arranged in “tien phat hau linh” (Buddha front and ancestors behind) principle. It is decorated with horizontal lacquered boards and distiches. Interior's furniture such as tea cabinet, bookcase, etc. store a number of heirloom from previous generations. Generations living and preserving traditional spiritual cultural values of the ancestors are precious heritages of Ngoc Son Princess Residency. It is the soul of the heritage.