Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an architectural masterpiece built out of the deep affection the Vietnamese people have for their beloved president. After two years of construction, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was opened to the public on August 29th, 1975.  The Mausoleum was constructed with the help of many localities throughout the country, also government agencies, military units and the Russian people.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was designed in the shape of a lotus flower representing the noble history of our nation and lofty virtues of our beloved president. “Sen”, in English, lotus, is also the name of the village of his birth, Kim Liên Village (yellow lotus).  It reminds one of the verses in praise of our beloved president: “Thap Muoi is regarded as most beautiful with lotus flowers; Vietnam is regarded as most beautiful with the name Uncle Ho”.

The walls of the Mausoleum are paved with granite outlined in bronze.  In front of the Mausoleum two rows of Dai trees have been planted. And on the two sides are two big basins planted with red-flowered tail trees and 18 long life trees, a gift from the delta provinces on the occasion of the President’ birthday feast.

Hung Vuong Street passing in front of the Mausoleum is planted with two lines of parashorea trees, which were brought from Phong Chau, the ancestral land of Vietnam. There are 168 square lawns of green grass in front of the Mausoleum and a flag post with the height of 30 m in the middle of the Square. The two sides and behind the Mausoleum are flower gardens and an orchard in which Uncle Ho had a rest after a stressful day. These precious trees and fruits were sent as a present to Uncle Ho by fellow-countryman throughout nation.

The remains of President Ho Chi Minh are laid in a transparent glass coffin in the main room on the second floor of the Mausoleum. Uncle Ho’s face looks relaxed like taking a nap after a hard day’s work. The Party flag and national flag are displayed in precious stones right above Uncle Ho’s head. The strings of decorating flowers around his bed are stylized images of lotus, as well as jasmine which he loved.

Looking from the gate of the Mausoleum straight to Bac Son road a monument dedicated to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation can be seen.

Uncle Ho’ stilt house 

In the large garden behind the Presidential Palace, there is a small gravel path with mango trees on each side leading to a small, simple, lovely stilt house built under a vault of green from the tall trees above.  A rose-mallow fence surrounds the house.  The gate is also skillfully made of rose-mallow trees making the scene seem more simple and tranquil. The pineapple and coconut trees were a gift from the people of Thailand , the coconut trees stand like two brave men on guard duties. The perfume of jasmine, eglantine, tea clusters is omnipresent. At the back is a garden of fruit trees, where many special fruits from every region of the country have been donated to Uncle Ho. Each tree is associated to a memory, a story about Uncle Ho and the people. There are star apples from the south, Hai Hung orange, Phuc Trach pomelo, Xuan Mai orange, Huong Can mandarine, Thach That persimmon, etc.

The ground floor of the stilt house was used as a meeting place for the “Politburo” with 12 chairs arranged around a large table. On the table, there are still books such as “Good people, good works” which Uncle Ho enjoyed when he was alive. The furniture inside the house is arranged as it was when he lived and worked there which gives the feeling that he will return at any minute.

In the middle of the staircase, there is a small bell to inform him that he had guests. The upper floor is divided into two small rooms: a working room and a rest room. On the working table, there is still a photo of Lenin donated by a Russian elder revolutionary cadre. In the middle, there is still a newspaper “Hanoi Moi — New Hanoi” issued on September 1st, 1969 on which remains his red highlights and notes. In the rest room, there is a wooden bed and a small wooden table, where the book "Resistance against the Yuan" was placed. His personal belongings included two fans, a thermos bottle, a glass, and a broom, which are still preserved intact as if he stayed there the day before. In the front of his house is a small pond where he often fed the fish when he was not busy. Around the bank of the pond, hundreds of flowers boom in season.

In the garden of the Presidential Palace, there is “A house Number 54”. This house has a tile roof, low foundation, and 3 rooms. It was previously a residence for workers who served in the French Governor-General Palace . Once Uncle Ho returned to Hanoi after liberating the Capital, he used to work and live here from the end of December 1954 until his stilt house was completed. Near the stilt house, there is a concrete house bearing the sign “K67” where Uncle Ho was treated when he was ill.

Ho Chi Minh Museum  

This museum is located near Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. It was completed on May 19th 1990 for the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday. The museum is a four-story building covering a total area of 100 hectors and designed in the shape of a lotus flower as a symbol of President Ho's noble character.

The main showroom displays 117,274 documents, articles, pic­tures and exhibits illustrating the his­torical events that took place during President Ho Chi Minh's life, as well as important events that occurred in the rest of the world since the end of the 19th century.

The museum contains other rooms such as a library, a large hall, meeting rooms and research rooms.

Since its opening, the museum has welcomed millions of local and international visitors.