Gia Long (1762-1819), the first king of the Nguyen dynasty, came to the throne in 1802. He himself chose the site of his mausoleum, which lies on a peninsula on the Perfume River, and he oversaw its construction that took from 1814-20. Other tombs were later built nearby for his family. Nestling among green hills dotted with clumps of trees, the tomb lies in a peaceful, natural setting.