Contents
News - TuoiTreNews.vn - Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism and Saigon Boat JSC on Tuesday launched the first boat tour service with two options for journeys in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal.
A/ Cong Xa Paris street
1/ Notre Dame Cathedral
2/ General Post Office
B/ Dong Khoi street
1/ Opera House
2/ Continental Hotel
C/ Le Thanh Ton - Nguyen Hue streets
City Hall
D/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Le Quy Don - Vo Van Tan streets
1/ War Remnants Museum
2/ Reunification Palace
E/ School (Beautiful French architectures of the town built from 100 years a go)
1/ Le Quy Don
2/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
3/ Marie Curie
News
A/ Cong Xa Paris street
1/ Notre Dame Cathedral
Mass time: 9:30AM on Sunday with English service
Brief History:
Designed by architect J.Bourard and constructed in almost 3 years (from 7-10-1877 to 11-4-1880), Notre Dame is one of the oldest churches in Saigon.
Full History
Prior to the construction of the present Notre Dame Cathedral, French colonialists held church services in a wooden church built in 1863 on the banks of Charner Canal.
Charner Canal is today's Nguyen Hue street, which runs parallel to Dong Khoi street. In 1887, the Canal was filled in on order of the Colonial Council.
Termites however took a liking to this wooden church, and services had to be moved to the stateroom of the French Governor's Palace until the Notre-Dame Cathedral could be completed.
With all the construction materials imported from France, the Cathedral took three years to complete (1887 - 1880). The inauguration ceremony was held on Easter Day 1880 in the presence of Le Myre de Vilers, the governor of Cochinchine. And at that time the name of it was State Cathedral because 2,500,000 France used to construct the Cathedral was from the State of France.
The two bell towers either side of the entrance though were only added fifteen years later in 1895.
In 1903 the France set up the bronze statue of Pigneau de Behaine, also known as the Bishop of Adran, leading Prince Canh by the hand. The meaning was to praise the merit of civilization of France. (Prince Canh was the son of Emperor Gia Long)
In 1945 the statue was broken down. But the stone pedestal remained.
In 1959 Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien had attended the Holy Mother Congress at the Vatican and had ordered a Peaceful Notre Dame statue made from granite. The statue was shiped from Roma to Saigon and on 16th February 1959 it was placed on the stone pedestal which had no stautue since 1945. The next day,
Impressive colour
132 years passed by, the baked bricks of Notre Dame Cathedral are still in bright red colour and there is no green moss on them.
Materials
During its construction, all its red bricks were imported from Marseilles, while the coloured glass windows were made in France’s Chartres Province. Many original tiles are carved with the words Guichard Carvin, Marseille St André France, perhaps stating the locality where the tiles were produced. More recent tiles are carved with the words “Wang-Tai Saigon.”, representing the replacements that have since been made in Saigon after the cathedral was damaged during war.
The Numbers
• The Cathedral is 91m long, 35.5m wide. Its dome is 21m high.
• The two bell towers are 57m. The crosses perched on the top of each bell tower measure an impressive 3.5 m high, 2 m wide, and 600 kg in weight. Therefore from the ground to the top of the cross is 60.5m high.
• There are 2 bells named music notes “La” and “Do” in the right bell tower . “Sol”, “Si”, “Mi”, “Re” are 4 bells in the left tower.
3 largest bells are “sol” with 8,745kg, “si” with 3,150kg and “re” with 2.194kg
All 6 bells which were cast in France in 1879, weigh up to 28.85tons
Its said that if 6 bells are rung at the same time, the bells' echo can be heard in a diameter of 10km
• At the same time, the Cathedral can accommodate to 1,200 people.
• There is no place for candle in the Cathedral. Since the inauguration, it has only used elctrical lights.
• A statue of the Virgin Mary graces the surroundings.
2/ General Post Office
In order to ebstablish communication system right after the occupation of Saigon, on 11 November 1860, the French colonialists ordered to built Saigon Post Office located in the center of the city. The structure was designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel, the architect and creator of the famous Eiffel tower in Paris as well as Truong Tien bridge in Hue city and Long Bien bridge in Hanoi...
On 13 January 1863, the Post Office was inaugurated and the first Vietnamese stamp with the image of phoenix on it was publicised at a price of 0.1 – 0.4 France.
In 1864, the first letters were sent from Saigon to the World.
Just after 3 years, in 1886, the Post Office was overloaded and had to reconstruct based on the design of French architect Villedieu and his assistant Foulhoux.
On 22 March 1888, a 2000km telegraphic line connecting Saigon – Quy Nhon – Da Nang – Hue – Vinh - Hanoi was ebstablished. In 1891, the new structure was inaugurated and its the building We see today.
Inside the Post Office, there are the two huge historical maps painted on the walls of the high domed ceiling. The first one is “Saigon et ses environs 1892” (Sai Gon and its environment 1892) and the second one is “Lignes télegraphiques du Sud Vietnam et du Cambodge 1936” (Telegraphic lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia 1936).
Saigon Post Office is now the busiest post office in Vietnam.
The old man keeps the soul of letters (translated from Nhan Dan newspaper)
He is Mr Duong Van Ngo, an old man at 82, who everyday takes a 20-minute bicycle ride from home in Thi Nghe to Saigon Post Office.
Studied in famous Petrus Ky school and got French high school certificate in 1952, Mr Ngo, then, became a member of Saigon Post Office for 30 years. Ater retirement, he has worked as a public writer in Saigon Post Office until now.
Over 50 years , he has written more than ten thousand letters which were delivered to many countries in the world. Many of them became “love messages”, leading couples to happy marriage.
According to Vietnam record book, Mr Ngo is the oldest public writer of Vietnam.
Mr Ngo has excellent French and English skills.
Pics: Hoang Thach Van (Tuoi Tre newspaper)
B/ Dong Khoi street
1/ Opera House (The Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Hat Lon Thanh Pho)
In 1998, on the occasion of 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon, the municipal government had the Opera House façade restored.
2/ Continental Hotel
Address: 132 - 134 Dong Khoi street, district 1
Tel: (84.8) 38 299 201
Fax: (84.8) 38 290 936
Email: continentalhotel@vnn.vn
Website: http://www.continentalhotel.com.vn
In the old days, Saigon’s streets were simply named by ordinal numbers. Starting from the Saigon river bank, Dong Khoi was the Sixth street. In 1865, the French Commander De La Grandiere renamed these streets and Sixth street became Catinat street, a bustling place, especially during the French Colonial Era.
In 1878, Pierre Cazeau, a home-appliance and construction material manufacturer, started building the Hotel Continental with the purpose of providing the French traveller, a French style of luxury accommodation after a long cruise to the new continent. This project took 2 years, and in 1880 the “Hotel Continental” was inaugurated.
In the year 1911, the Continental was sold to Duke Montpensier. In 1930, the hotel had a new owner, Mathier Francini, a gangster from Corsica, who ran the hotel until 1975.
Nowadays, the Hotel Continental remains nestled among the classical buildings of old Saigon such as the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. While Dong Khoi street continues its hustle and bustle, the Hotel Continental Saigon still maintains the charm and majesty of itsclassical past.
Note: During the 1960s and 1970s, the Saigon Government commanded all sign-boards be written in Vietnamese language; therefore the name “Hotel Continental” was converted to "Dai Luc Lu Quan".
During the American period, Catinat street was known as Tu Do street.
Following liberation in 1975, many outstanding people such as Jacques Chirac (Mayor of Paris during that period), the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, and many other politicians stayed at the Hotel Continental to exchange views on the future of a new Vietnam.
Catinat Radio
The Hotel Continental was frequently referred to the phrase “Catinat Radio”, since this was the rendezvous point where correspondents, journalists, politicians and businessmen talked about politics, the business news, and current events. It’s not by coincidence that it was said that “If the walls of the Hotel Continental could speak, they could tell you many stories.”
C/ Le Thanh Ton - Nguyen Hue streets
Overview: One of the most stunning French colonial architectures in Saigon.
The building began construction in 1898. Ten years later, in 1908, it was inaugurated in presence of Indochina Govenor – General to celebratde 50th years the French colonialists occupied Saigon (1859 – 1909). Its constrcution was based on French architect P. Gardes and artist Bonnet’s design which comprised a main hall and two rectangular wings. On the top of the building stands a bell tower which is on a pyramid-like pedestal. This architectural work was adapted from an Italian style of the Renaissance which was applied to most of the town halls in Europe. The reliefs (which look very lively) on the wall ledges are arranged in a pattern of a woman, some children and some animals set in a triangle.
From 1908 to 1954 (French colonial period) it was called the Town Hall.
From 1954 to 1975 (Vietnam war), it was called City Hall.
Tips: The building is floodlit at night. There is a large statue of president Ho Chi Minh on the opposite strip.
(Reference: trade.hochiminhcity.gov.vn and saigon24h.vn)
Pics: chieusang.com
D/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Le Quy Don - Vo Van Tan streets
1/ War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh)
Address: 28 Vo van Tan street, district 3 (quite near Reunification Palace and Le Quy Don high school)
Tel: 3930 5587
Website: www.baotangchungtichchientranh.vn
Open: Everyday (including holiday)
7:30AM - 12:00 noon & 1:30PM - 5:00PM
Admission: 15,000VND
Note: please dress properly (eventhough its not in regulation)
Overview:
Next is the war crime exhibition area which contains photographs illustrating atrocities of US army. Among them, the My Lai massacre’s ones tell us the most horrible and crazy behaviours of many US soldiers and generals in the war. (For details: see Destination -> Quang Ngai – Son My)
The other areas include a model of Con Dao tiger cages which were called as “the hell on the earth”, a guillotine used by French colonialists on Viet Minh (Vietnamese soldiers and cadres) and a gallery named “War and Peace” with pictures drawn by Vietnamese children and photographs, posters showing Internation support for anti war movements.
The War Remnant Museum is one of some 60 museums in the world recognised by UNESCO as “Museum for Peace”
2/ Reunification Palace (Vietnamese: Dinh Thong Nhat)
The bamboo-shaped stone window curtain on 2nd floor
Grassland and old huge trees in the complex
Norodom palace
Reunification palace
Pics: dinhdoclap.gov.vn
E/ School
1/ Le Quy Don
Address: 112 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street (opposite Reunification Palace)
In 1958, the school was renamed Lycée Jean - Jacques Rousseau (a Frech scholar in the “Light” movement in 18th century)
The name Le Quy Don had its history since 1966.
Until now, after 138 years, Le Quy Don is still one of the most beautiful schools in Saigon. I spent three great memorable years here from 1998 to 2001. Love all!
My class in 1999 - 2000
The last day of my high school: there were many girls crying and it rained.
There is now a water fight festival in the school for the last day, but who really feels happy to leave school time?
Pics: tiin.vn
2/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
Address: 275 Dien Bien Phu street, district 3
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school (also known as Collège de Jeunes Filles Indigènes, Gia Long all-girls school, Ao Tim all-girls school) is one of the oldest and most beautiful high schools in Saigon.
In the early 20th century, traditional Confucian education in Viet Nam paid very little attention to education of women. In 1908 some Vietnamese intellectuals proposed the French colonial authority to construct a multi-level school for girls. The proposal was approved but owing to lack of funds, it wasn't until 1913 that the school began to be built on a large site in Legrand de la Liraye street (present Đien Bien Phu street).
In 1915, the construction of the school was completed and the first pupils were admitted. Ernest Nestor Roume, the Governor-General of French Indochina at that time, cut the inauguration tape and declared the beginning of a new school year. 42 schoolgirls were enrolled in the first year.
In September 1922, the school started the first year of high school first grade classes with the name Collège de Jeunes Filles Indigènes (College of indigenous girls). The first headmistress was a French principal named
Lagrange. In order to enter the school, pupils had to pass essential education exams and school entrance exams. French had been taught since the beginning, being the official language used for teaching. Schoolgirls were only allowed to communicate in French. Vietnamese language was taught in two Vietnamese literature hours per week. Uniforms at that time were violet “Ao Dai”(Vietnamese women traditional long dress), symbolising the purity of Vietnamese women. For this reason the school had also been called Ao Tim (Violet Dress) all-girls school.
In the 1940s, the school was renamed Collège Gia Long then Lycée Gia Long.
In 1949 the school was expanded and a two-storey building was constructed in Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street in order to meet the increasing pupil number.
In 1952, Vietnamese education replaced French education little by little and schoolgirls had to
study in both English and French.
Following liberation in 1975, the school was officially renamed Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School. In the 1978 - 1979 school year, the school started to enroll both boys and girls.
In 2003, the school was included in a list of 55 buildings in Saigon needed to be well preserved because of their historical and architectural values.
Until now, after almost 100 years, many alumnae of the school have become successful and famous people in Vietnam such as Ph.D Vu Thi Nhung (Director of Hung Vuong hospital), Ms Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (Director of gynaecology and obstetrics hospital), Ms Vo Thi Thang (former Minister of Vietnam Tourism), Ms Nguyen Ngoc Dung (the first envoy of the Socialist republic of Vietnam in United Nations), Ms Doan Le Huong (Director of Central Red Cross Organisation)...
(With references: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school and Wiki)
In 2007, it became a public high school.
The school now has more than 70 classes with some 3,000 pupils. Together with Le Hong Phong high school and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school, Marie Curie is one of three high schools in the city that still offers some French language classes.
News - TuoiTreNews.vn - Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism and Saigon Boat JSC on Tuesday launched the first boat tour service with two options for journeys in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal.
A/ Cong Xa Paris street
1/ Notre Dame Cathedral
2/ General Post Office
B/ Dong Khoi street
1/ Opera House
2/ Continental Hotel
C/ Le Thanh Ton - Nguyen Hue streets
City Hall
D/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Le Quy Don - Vo Van Tan streets
1/ War Remnants Museum
2/ Reunification Palace
E/ School (Beautiful French architectures of the town built from 100 years a go)
1/ Le Quy Don
2/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
3/ Marie Curie
News
TuoiTreNews.vn - Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism and Saigon Boat JSC on Tuesday launched the first boat tour service with two options for journeys in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal.
With the two-hour tour, tourists will pay VND220,000 (US$9.7) and VND110,000 ($4.84) respectively for a one-way trip ticket.
For the first option, they can sit around a table and have food or drinks allowed to be brought along when traveling aboard the Gondola boat, which is able to carry 4-5 passengers each time.
Tourists can also choose a conventional boat, called Chong, which is designed like a small ferry to carry 7-20 passengers, for the other option.
The boats will take passengers along a 4.5-kilometer session of the 8.7-kilometer canal running through District 1, District 3, Binh Thanh District, Phu Nhuan District, and Tan Binh District.
They will depart from a wharf near the Thi Nghe Bridge in District 1 and stop at another one near Chantaransay Pagoda in District 3.
While going on the tour, tourists will have the chance to listen to stories about the establishment and development of the canal as well as the evolution history of Ho Chi Minh City from the guides who row the boats manually.
The tour guides are trained in boat rowing and have completed intensive professional tourism and English language courses.
To take the tour, passengers can purchase tickets at District 1’s station on Hoang Sa Street, next to the Thi Nghe Bridge, and District 3’s station on the same street, close to Chantaransay Pagoda.
Tourists can also book tickets at tour offices, travel agencies, and hotel reception desks in the city.
Saigon Boat JSC is expected to offer a river tour from the Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Binh Dong Station in District 8.
Last year, the city opened seven river tours from the wharf to popular tourism destinations, including the Binh Quoi tourism area in Binh Thanh District and the Long Phuoc garden house in District 9.
A/ Cong Xa Paris street
1/ Notre Dame Cathedral
Address: 01 Paris Commune street ( 01 Cong Xa Paris, next to the end of Dong Khoi street)
Mass time: 9:30AM on Sunday with English service
Brief History:
Designed by architect J.Bourard and constructed in almost 3 years (from 7-10-1877 to 11-4-1880), Notre Dame is one of the oldest churches in Saigon.
Full History
Prior to the construction of the present Notre Dame Cathedral, French colonialists held church services in a wooden church built in 1863 on the banks of Charner Canal.
Charner Canal is today's Nguyen Hue street, which runs parallel to Dong Khoi street. In 1887, the Canal was filled in on order of the Colonial Council.
Termites however took a liking to this wooden church, and services had to be moved to the stateroom of the French Governor's Palace until the Notre-Dame Cathedral could be completed.
With all the construction materials imported from France, the Cathedral took three years to complete (1887 - 1880). The inauguration ceremony was held on Easter Day 1880 in the presence of Le Myre de Vilers, the governor of Cochinchine. And at that time the name of it was State Cathedral because 2,500,000 France used to construct the Cathedral was from the State of France.
The two bell towers either side of the entrance though were only added fifteen years later in 1895.
In 1903 the France set up the bronze statue of Pigneau de Behaine, also known as the Bishop of Adran, leading Prince Canh by the hand. The meaning was to praise the merit of civilization of France. (Prince Canh was the son of Emperor Gia Long)
In 1945 the statue was broken down. But the stone pedestal remained.
In 1959 Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien had attended the Holy Mother Congress at the Vatican and had ordered a Peaceful Notre Dame statue made from granite. The statue was shiped from Roma to Saigon and on 16th February 1959 it was placed on the stone pedestal which had no stautue since 1945. The next day,
Cardinal Aganianian chaired the ceremony for the statue, and from that day forward the cathedral was known as Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Today, the Cathedral is popular for both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Many young couples come here to take wedding photos.
Impressive colour
132 years passed by, the baked bricks of Notre Dame Cathedral are still in bright red colour and there is no green moss on them.
Materials
During its construction, all its red bricks were imported from Marseilles, while the coloured glass windows were made in France’s Chartres Province. Many original tiles are carved with the words Guichard Carvin, Marseille St André France, perhaps stating the locality where the tiles were produced. More recent tiles are carved with the words “Wang-Tai Saigon.”, representing the replacements that have since been made in Saigon after the cathedral was damaged during war.
The Numbers
• The Cathedral is 91m long, 35.5m wide. Its dome is 21m high.
• The two bell towers are 57m. The crosses perched on the top of each bell tower measure an impressive 3.5 m high, 2 m wide, and 600 kg in weight. Therefore from the ground to the top of the cross is 60.5m high.
• There are 2 bells named music notes “La” and “Do” in the right bell tower . “Sol”, “Si”, “Mi”, “Re” are 4 bells in the left tower.
3 largest bells are “sol” with 8,745kg, “si” with 3,150kg and “re” with 2.194kg
All 6 bells which were cast in France in 1879, weigh up to 28.85tons
Its said that if 6 bells are rung at the same time, the bells' echo can be heard in a diameter of 10km
• At the same time, the Cathedral can accommodate to 1,200 people.
• There is no place for candle in the Cathedral. Since the inauguration, it has only used elctrical lights.
• A statue of the Virgin Mary graces the surroundings.
Photo credit: Vietnamguidebook
2/ General Post Office
In order to ebstablish communication system right after the occupation of Saigon, on 11 November 1860, the French colonialists ordered to built Saigon Post Office located in the center of the city. The structure was designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel, the architect and creator of the famous Eiffel tower in Paris as well as Truong Tien bridge in Hue city and Long Bien bridge in Hanoi...
On 13 January 1863, the Post Office was inaugurated and the first Vietnamese stamp with the image of phoenix on it was publicised at a price of 0.1 – 0.4 France.
In 1864, the first letters were sent from Saigon to the World.
Just after 3 years, in 1886, the Post Office was overloaded and had to reconstruct based on the design of French architect Villedieu and his assistant Foulhoux.
On 22 March 1888, a 2000km telegraphic line connecting Saigon – Quy Nhon – Da Nang – Hue – Vinh - Hanoi was ebstablished. In 1891, the new structure was inaugurated and its the building We see today.
Inside the Post Office, there are the two huge historical maps painted on the walls of the high domed ceiling. The first one is “Saigon et ses environs 1892” (Sai Gon and its environment 1892) and the second one is “Lignes télegraphiques du Sud Vietnam et du Cambodge 1936” (Telegraphic lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia 1936).
Saigon Post Office is now the busiest post office in Vietnam.
The old man keeps the soul of letters (translated from Nhan Dan newspaper)
He is Mr Duong Van Ngo, an old man at 82, who everyday takes a 20-minute bicycle ride from home in Thi Nghe to Saigon Post Office.
Studied in famous Petrus Ky school and got French high school certificate in 1952, Mr Ngo, then, became a member of Saigon Post Office for 30 years. Ater retirement, he has worked as a public writer in Saigon Post Office until now.
Over 50 years , he has written more than ten thousand letters which were delivered to many countries in the world. Many of them became “love messages”, leading couples to happy marriage.
According to Vietnam record book, Mr Ngo is the oldest public writer of Vietnam.
Mr Ngo has excellent French and English skills.
Pics: Hoang Thach Van (Tuoi Tre newspaper)
B/ Dong Khoi street
1/ Opera House (The Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Hat Lon Thanh Pho)
The Saigon Opera House owes its specific characteristics to the work of architect Félix Olivier, while construction was under supervision of architects Ernest Guichard and Eugène Ferret from 1898 to 1900.
Its architectural style is influenced by the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic, with the façade shaped like the Petit Palais which was built in the same year in France. The house had a main seating floor plus two levels of seating above, and was capable of accommodating 1,800 people.
(Reference: Wiki)
2/ Continental Hotel
Address: 132 - 134 Dong Khoi street, district 1
Tel: (84.8) 38 299 201
Fax: (84.8) 38 290 936
Email: continentalhotel@vnn.vn
Website: http://www.continentalhotel.com.vn
History
The Hotel Continental Saigon is situated on Dong Khoi, one of the oldest and most central streets in Saigon.
The Hotel Continental Saigon is situated on Dong Khoi, one of the oldest and most central streets in Saigon.
In the old days, Saigon’s streets were simply named by ordinal numbers. Starting from the Saigon river bank, Dong Khoi was the Sixth street. In 1865, the French Commander De La Grandiere renamed these streets and Sixth street became Catinat street, a bustling place, especially during the French Colonial Era.
In 1878, Pierre Cazeau, a home-appliance and construction material manufacturer, started building the Hotel Continental with the purpose of providing the French traveller, a French style of luxury accommodation after a long cruise to the new continent. This project took 2 years, and in 1880 the “Hotel Continental” was inaugurated.
In the year 1911, the Continental was sold to Duke Montpensier. In 1930, the hotel had a new owner, Mathier Francini, a gangster from Corsica, who ran the hotel until 1975.
Nowadays, the Hotel Continental remains nestled among the classical buildings of old Saigon such as the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. While Dong Khoi street continues its hustle and bustle, the Hotel Continental Saigon still maintains the charm and majesty of itsclassical past.
Note: During the 1960s and 1970s, the Saigon Government commanded all sign-boards be written in Vietnamese language; therefore the name “Hotel Continental” was converted to "Dai Luc Lu Quan".
During the American period, Catinat street was known as Tu Do street.
Following liberation in 1975, Tu Do street was renamed Dong Khoi
Famous guests
By the beginning of World War II, the Hotel Continental hosted the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (who won the 1913 Nobel Prize for literature), the award-winning writer Andre Malraux, whose “Man’s Fate” won the 1933 Prix Goncourt, and then the British writer Graham Greene, long-term guest in room 214, who conceived the work “The Quiet American” about the transitional period between the French Colonist and the American Empire in the Vietnam War. The Continental featured prominently in “The Quiet American” in both its film and book forms. The Continental also was a central locale in the movie “Indochine” which won two Academy Awards and one Golden Globe.
Famous guests
By the beginning of World War II, the Hotel Continental hosted the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (who won the 1913 Nobel Prize for literature), the award-winning writer Andre Malraux, whose “Man’s Fate” won the 1933 Prix Goncourt, and then the British writer Graham Greene, long-term guest in room 214, who conceived the work “The Quiet American” about the transitional period between the French Colonist and the American Empire in the Vietnam War. The Continental featured prominently in “The Quiet American” in both its film and book forms. The Continental also was a central locale in the movie “Indochine” which won two Academy Awards and one Golden Globe.
Following liberation in 1975, many outstanding people such as Jacques Chirac (Mayor of Paris during that period), the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, and many other politicians stayed at the Hotel Continental to exchange views on the future of a new Vietnam.
Catinat Radio
The Hotel Continental was frequently referred to the phrase “Catinat Radio”, since this was the rendezvous point where correspondents, journalists, politicians and businessmen talked about politics, the business news, and current events. It’s not by coincidence that it was said that “If the walls of the Hotel Continental could speak, they could tell you many stories.”
(Reference: Continental Hotel Saigon)
C/ Le Thanh Ton - Nguyen Hue streets
City Hall (Tru So Uy Ban Nhan Dan Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh)
Address: 86 Le Thanh Ton St., District 1, HCMC (right at the end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard)
Address: 86 Le Thanh Ton St., District 1, HCMC (right at the end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard)
Overview: One of the most stunning French colonial architectures in Saigon.
The building began construction in 1898. Ten years later, in 1908, it was inaugurated in presence of Indochina Govenor – General to celebratde 50th years the French colonialists occupied Saigon (1859 – 1909). Its constrcution was based on French architect P. Gardes and artist Bonnet’s design which comprised a main hall and two rectangular wings. On the top of the building stands a bell tower which is on a pyramid-like pedestal. This architectural work was adapted from an Italian style of the Renaissance which was applied to most of the town halls in Europe. The reliefs (which look very lively) on the wall ledges are arranged in a pattern of a woman, some children and some animals set in a triangle.
From 1908 to 1954 (French colonial period) it was called the Town Hall.
From 1954 to 1975 (Vietnam war), it was called City Hall.
Following the liberation in 1975, it has become the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Building.
Tips: The building is floodlit at night. There is a large statue of president Ho Chi Minh on the opposite strip.
(Reference: trade.hochiminhcity.gov.vn and saigon24h.vn)
D/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Le Quy Don - Vo Van Tan streets
1/ War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh)
Address: 28 Vo van Tan street, district 3 (quite near Reunification Palace and Le Quy Don high school)
Tel: 3930 5587
Website: www.baotangchungtichchientranh.vn
Open: Everyday (including holiday)
7:30AM - 12:00 noon & 1:30PM - 5:00PM
Admission: 15,000VND
Note: please dress properly (eventhough its not in regulation)
Overview:
Ebstablished in September 1975, with more than 20,000 objects and documentary films about Vietnam war, the War Remnant Museum is one of the main sightseeing spots in the city.
Right behind the gate of museum is the outside exhibition area where the most modern US weapons, armoured vehicles, aircrafts and bombs used in Vietnam war are displayed. Pay attention at a concrete sewer in which three children of Ben Tre province hidden from US army in an attack in 1969. The children at last were killed fiercely and the general of that attack was Bob Kerry who later on became senator.
Next is the war crime exhibition area which contains photographs illustrating atrocities of US army. Among them, the My Lai massacre’s ones tell us the most horrible and crazy behaviours of many US soldiers and generals in the war. (For details: see Destination -> Quang Ngai – Son My)
The other areas include a model of Con Dao tiger cages which were called as “the hell on the earth”, a guillotine used by French colonialists on Viet Minh (Vietnamese soldiers and cadres) and a gallery named “War and Peace” with pictures drawn by Vietnamese children and photographs, posters showing Internation support for anti war movements.
The War Remnant Museum is one of some 60 museums in the world recognised by UNESCO as “Museum for Peace”
Trip Advisor members' comments
* Sheath27 from Sydney
Gives you a good insight into the Vietnamese peoples resilience, goodwill and ability to smile and progress after adversity.
I visit it everytime I go to HCMC. Gives me a bit of a wake up call I guess.
Everyone who visits Vn should go there at least once
* JoySmith from Cape Town
I visited the War Remnants Museum in October 2012. It made such a huge
impression I believe it should be a compulsory visit. It shows the
brutality of war and the legacy - the long-term effects generations
later - the chemical warfare, the landmines, the unexploded bombs in
farmers' fields. Perhaps if world leaders actually saw the results of
their ivory tower decisions they would not be so cavalier in their
attitude towards armed conflict. Don't miss it.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293925-i8433-k6061464 Which_attraction_would_you_recommend-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html
2/ Reunification Palace (Vietnamese: Dinh Thong Nhat)
Address: Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street, district 1 (near Notre Dame Cathedral)
Area: The complex of Reunification Palace covers an area of 120.000m² (300m x 400m), and is bordered by four streets of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Huyen Tran Cong Chua , Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Du.
Open: Everyday (includes Sunday and holiday)
7:30AM - 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Close: when the palace holds special meetings or official receptions
Admission: 30,000VND/pax
15,000VND/student
3,000VND/ pupil (6 - 17 years old)
Brief desription
This historic building was constructed on 1st July 1962 as the presidential palace of the South Vietnam. At 11:00AM, 30 April 1975, two tanks of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its gate, marking the end of Vietnam War (1954 – 1975).
The building has four floors and one basement. There is no air-conditioned in the building making it hard for walking up to the top floor but when you are there, a nice general view of Saigon city center pays your try. The basement is worth visiting as it had function of the war rooms and shelters.
For me, the palace’s story is impressive, but not the building.
Full history
In 1858, French colonists launched an attack on Da Nang city, starting their invasion of Vietnam.
In 1867, they completed the conquest of Southern provinces including present Dong Nai province, Saigon city and Mekong delta.
On 23 February 1868, Lagrandière, Governor of Cochinchina, held a ceremony to lay the foundation stone of a new palace in the center of Saigon. Owing to the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, construction fell behind schedule and was not completed until 1873. The palace was named Norodom after the king of Cambodia. The avenue in front of the palace bore the same name. From 1871 to 1887, the palace was used by the French Governor of Cochinchina; therefore, it was referred to as the Governor’s Palace. From 1887 to 1945, all Governors-General of French Indochina used the palace as their residence and office.
On March 9, 1945, Japanese fascists defeated and replaced French colonists in Indochina. Norodom Palace became the headquarters of Japan in Vietnam.
In September 1945, Japanese fascists surrendered to the Allied forces in World War II and French colonists returned to Vietnam. Norodom Palace was restored to its position as the office of the French colonists.
On 7 May 1954, being defeated in Dien Bien Phu, French colonists had to sign the Geneva Accords and withdrew its troops from Vietnam. According to the accords, Vietnam would be divided for two years, until 1956. The 17th parallel in Quang Tri province would act as the temporary border until a vote based on universal suffrage was held to establish a unified Vietnamese government. North Vietnam was Democratic Republic of Vietnam, while South Vietnam was under the anti-communist State of Vietnam. On 7 September 1954, Norodom Palace was handed over to the prime minister of the State of Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, by a representative of the French colonists in Vietnam, General Paul Ély.
On 26 October 1955, Ngo Dinh Diem declared himself the president of the newly proclaimed Republic of Vietnam and renamed Norodom palace the Independence Palace.
On 27 February 1962, two pilots of Diem’s Vietnam Air Force, Nguyen Van Cu and Pham Phu Quoc, rebelled and flew two A-1 Skyraider (A-1D/AD-6 variant) aircraft towards the palace and bombed it. As a result, almost the entire left wing of the palace was destroyed. However, Diem and his family escaped the assassination attempt. As it was almost impossible to restore the palace, Diem ordered it demolished and commissioned a new building in its place. The new palace was constructed according to a design of Ngo Viet Thu, a Vietnamese architect who won the First Grand Prize of Rome (Grand Prix de Rome) in 1955.
The construction of the new palace started on 1 July 1962. Meanwhile, Diem and his family moved to Gia Long palace (present Ho Chi Minh City Museum). However, Diem did not see the completed palace as he was assassinated on 2th November 1963 in a coup by his own generals. The completed palace was inaugurated on 31 October 1966 and became office and home to South Vietnam's last three presidents: Nguyen Van Thieu (1961 - 21 April 1975); Tran Van Huong and Duong Van Minh (21 April 1975 – 30 April 1975).
On 8 April 1975, Nguyen Thanh Trung, a pilot of the Vietnam Air Force and an undetected communist spy, flew an F-5E aircraft from Bien Hoa air base to bomb the palace, but caused no significant damage.
From 10:45AM to 11:00AM on 30 April 1975, two tanks of the North Vietnamese Army bulldozed through the gate of the palace, ending the Vietnam War.
In November 1975, the palace was renamed Reunification palace
.
Architecture
Designed by award winning French trained architect Ngo Viet Thu, the palace was created in harmony with Fengshui principles.
Those who read Chinese will find the interesting meanings of the palace's architecture. For example: "Chu Cat" means Good luck. "Chu Hung" means a prosperous country
Area: The complex of Reunification Palace covers an area of 120.000m² (300m x 400m), and is bordered by four streets of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Huyen Tran Cong Chua , Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Du.
Open: Everyday (includes Sunday and holiday)
7:30AM - 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Close: when the palace holds special meetings or official receptions
Admission: 30,000VND/pax
15,000VND/student
3,000VND/ pupil (6 - 17 years old)
Brief desription
This historic building was constructed on 1st July 1962 as the presidential palace of the South Vietnam. At 11:00AM, 30 April 1975, two tanks of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its gate, marking the end of Vietnam War (1954 – 1975).
The building has four floors and one basement. There is no air-conditioned in the building making it hard for walking up to the top floor but when you are there, a nice general view of Saigon city center pays your try. The basement is worth visiting as it had function of the war rooms and shelters.
For me, the palace’s story is impressive, but not the building.
Full history
In 1858, French colonists launched an attack on Da Nang city, starting their invasion of Vietnam.
In 1867, they completed the conquest of Southern provinces including present Dong Nai province, Saigon city and Mekong delta.
On 23 February 1868, Lagrandière, Governor of Cochinchina, held a ceremony to lay the foundation stone of a new palace in the center of Saigon. Owing to the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, construction fell behind schedule and was not completed until 1873. The palace was named Norodom after the king of Cambodia. The avenue in front of the palace bore the same name. From 1871 to 1887, the palace was used by the French Governor of Cochinchina; therefore, it was referred to as the Governor’s Palace. From 1887 to 1945, all Governors-General of French Indochina used the palace as their residence and office.
On March 9, 1945, Japanese fascists defeated and replaced French colonists in Indochina. Norodom Palace became the headquarters of Japan in Vietnam.
In September 1945, Japanese fascists surrendered to the Allied forces in World War II and French colonists returned to Vietnam. Norodom Palace was restored to its position as the office of the French colonists.
On 7 May 1954, being defeated in Dien Bien Phu, French colonists had to sign the Geneva Accords and withdrew its troops from Vietnam. According to the accords, Vietnam would be divided for two years, until 1956. The 17th parallel in Quang Tri province would act as the temporary border until a vote based on universal suffrage was held to establish a unified Vietnamese government. North Vietnam was Democratic Republic of Vietnam, while South Vietnam was under the anti-communist State of Vietnam. On 7 September 1954, Norodom Palace was handed over to the prime minister of the State of Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, by a representative of the French colonists in Vietnam, General Paul Ély.
On 26 October 1955, Ngo Dinh Diem declared himself the president of the newly proclaimed Republic of Vietnam and renamed Norodom palace the Independence Palace.
On 27 February 1962, two pilots of Diem’s Vietnam Air Force, Nguyen Van Cu and Pham Phu Quoc, rebelled and flew two A-1 Skyraider (A-1D/AD-6 variant) aircraft towards the palace and bombed it. As a result, almost the entire left wing of the palace was destroyed. However, Diem and his family escaped the assassination attempt. As it was almost impossible to restore the palace, Diem ordered it demolished and commissioned a new building in its place. The new palace was constructed according to a design of Ngo Viet Thu, a Vietnamese architect who won the First Grand Prize of Rome (Grand Prix de Rome) in 1955.
The construction of the new palace started on 1 July 1962. Meanwhile, Diem and his family moved to Gia Long palace (present Ho Chi Minh City Museum). However, Diem did not see the completed palace as he was assassinated on 2th November 1963 in a coup by his own generals. The completed palace was inaugurated on 31 October 1966 and became office and home to South Vietnam's last three presidents: Nguyen Van Thieu (1961 - 21 April 1975); Tran Van Huong and Duong Van Minh (21 April 1975 – 30 April 1975).
On 8 April 1975, Nguyen Thanh Trung, a pilot of the Vietnam Air Force and an undetected communist spy, flew an F-5E aircraft from Bien Hoa air base to bomb the palace, but caused no significant damage.
From 10:45AM to 11:00AM on 30 April 1975, two tanks of the North Vietnamese Army bulldozed through the gate of the palace, ending the Vietnam War.
In November 1975, the palace was renamed Reunification palace
.
Architecture
Designed by award winning French trained architect Ngo Viet Thu, the palace was created in harmony with Fengshui principles.
Those who read Chinese will find the interesting meanings of the palace's architecture. For example: "Chu Cat" means Good luck. "Chu Hung" means a prosperous country
Pic: dinhdoclap.gov.vn
The bamboo-shaped stone window curtain on 2nd floor
Pic: dinhdoclap.gov.vn
Grassland and old huge trees in the complex
Norodom palace
Reunification palace
E/ School
1/ Le Quy Don
Address: 112 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street (opposite Reunification Palace)
In 1874, Collège Chasseloup – Laubat was constructed and became the first high school of Saigon. There were two quarters in the school: the Quartier Européen for French pupils and the Quartier indigène for Vietnamese pupils.
In 1958, the school was renamed Lycée Jean - Jacques Rousseau (a Frech scholar in the “Light” movement in 18th century)
The name Le Quy Don had its history since 1966.
Being the first high school of Saigon as well as South Vietnam, Le Quy Don has attracted plenty of excellent pupils. Many of them became the successful and famous people in Vietnam such as Pro. Tran Van Giau, Pro. Tran Dai Nghia, doctor Nguyen Van Huong, musician Trinh Cong Son... King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia also spent time studying here.
Until now, after 138 years, Le Quy Don is still one of the most beautiful schools in Saigon. I spent three great memorable years here from 1998 to 2001. Love all!
My class in 1999 - 2000
The last day of my high school: there were many girls crying and it rained.
There is now a water fight festival in the school for the last day, but who really feels happy to leave school time?
2/ Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
Address: 275 Dien Bien Phu street, district 3
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school (also known as Collège de Jeunes Filles Indigènes, Gia Long all-girls school, Ao Tim all-girls school) is one of the oldest and most beautiful high schools in Saigon.
In the early 20th century, traditional Confucian education in Viet Nam paid very little attention to education of women. In 1908 some Vietnamese intellectuals proposed the French colonial authority to construct a multi-level school for girls. The proposal was approved but owing to lack of funds, it wasn't until 1913 that the school began to be built on a large site in Legrand de la Liraye street (present Đien Bien Phu street).
In 1915, the construction of the school was completed and the first pupils were admitted. Ernest Nestor Roume, the Governor-General of French Indochina at that time, cut the inauguration tape and declared the beginning of a new school year. 42 schoolgirls were enrolled in the first year.
In September 1922, the school started the first year of high school first grade classes with the name Collège de Jeunes Filles Indigènes (College of indigenous girls). The first headmistress was a French principal named
Lagrange. In order to enter the school, pupils had to pass essential education exams and school entrance exams. French had been taught since the beginning, being the official language used for teaching. Schoolgirls were only allowed to communicate in French. Vietnamese language was taught in two Vietnamese literature hours per week. Uniforms at that time were violet “Ao Dai”(Vietnamese women traditional long dress), symbolising the purity of Vietnamese women. For this reason the school had also been called Ao Tim (Violet Dress) all-girls school.
In the 1940s, the school was renamed Collège Gia Long then Lycée Gia Long.
In 1949 the school was expanded and a two-storey building was constructed in Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street in order to meet the increasing pupil number.
In 1952, Vietnamese education replaced French education little by little and schoolgirls had to
study in both English and French.
Following liberation in 1975, the school was officially renamed Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School. In the 1978 - 1979 school year, the school started to enroll both boys and girls.
In 2003, the school was included in a list of 55 buildings in Saigon needed to be well preserved because of their historical and architectural values.
Until now, after almost 100 years, many alumnae of the school have become successful and famous people in Vietnam such as Ph.D Vu Thi Nhung (Director of Hung Vuong hospital), Ms Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (Director of gynaecology and obstetrics hospital), Ms Vo Thi Thang (former Minister of Vietnam Tourism), Ms Nguyen Ngoc Dung (the first envoy of the Socialist republic of Vietnam in United Nations), Ms Doan Le Huong (Director of Central Red Cross Organisation)...
(With references: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school and Wiki)
3/ Marie Curie high school (French: Lycée Marie Curie. Vietnamese: Truong trunghoc pho thong Marie Curie)
Established in 1918 and named after the Nobel prize-winning scientist Marie Curie by the French colonial government, it remains the sole high school in Saigon that still bears its original name.
The same with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school, at the beginning, Marie Curie was an all-girls school. Then later on, in 1970, it began accepting boys.
The same with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school, at the beginning, Marie Curie was an all-girls school. Then later on, in 1970, it began accepting boys.
In 1997, it was turned into a semi-public high school
In 2007, it became a public high school.
The school now has more than 70 classes with some 3,000 pupils. Together with Le Hong Phong high school and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school, Marie Curie is one of three high schools in the city that still offers some French language classes.
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