Ben
Thanh market has long been one of Saigon's most famous
landmark. The market has been in existence since the French
occupation. The original market was located on the shores of
Ben Nghe river by old fort Gia Dinh. Its proximity to the
fort and the river where merchants and soldiers would land
was reason for its name (Ben meaning pier or port and Thanh
meaning fort). In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and
overtook fort Gia Dinh, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It
was rebuilt shortly thereafter and remained standing until
it was moved to its present location in 1899.
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Started
to be built in 1886 and completed in 1891 under
architect Villedieu's design, this magnificent building
was located on a high hillock by the side of the
municipal cathedral with Hai Ba Trung Avenue in the
back. The building's front side was adorned with
rectangle squares inscribed with the names of
telegraphic and electric inventors together with figures
of men and women wearing laurel wreaths. A big clock was
hung over the dome of the building. |
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Cho Lon or China town over here is a bustling town for
more than 5 million Chinese inhabitants. China town was
set up by the end of 18th century when the Minh dynasty
in China was overthrown. Many Chinese faithful to the
Minh ran to Viet Nam for help, peace and business and
were permitted by the Nguyen Lords. China town has many
shops and family factories. The most interesting place
is Binh Tay market built by one Chinese businessman,
always crowded as a wholesale market. Walking into the
Soai Kinh Lam material market is very interesting.
Father Tam's Catholic Church for Chinese is historical
as the first president of the south Ngo Dinh Diem and
his brother hid themselves to avoid the coup-detat in
1963. China town never sleeps with all interesting
activities. Most merchandize can be purchased at
wholesale price in China town. |
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The Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the most
famous historical vestiges of Vietnam's national
liberation war. The network consists of over 200
kilometers of tunnels connected with one another like a
cobweb. Inside are fighting posts, kitchens, food and
ammunition storage caches, medic care chambers, meeting
chambers, commanding chambers as well as living quarters
which enabled guerillas to held on to the land and fight
for years. From this underground village, the
revolutionary forces staged the 1968 general offensive
and the Ho Chi Minh campaign in April 1975 to liberate
South Vietnam. |
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Compared with the stately elegance of
Hanoi's French colonial streets and cafes, Ho Chi Minh
City (formerly Saigon) remains brasher, more outgoing
and more energetic. A city of sunlight and friendly
dynamic people, Saigon-HCM City is a pleasant place for
locals and foreigners alike to visit.
HCM City is only
300 years old but has many human and historical values
created by the exchange of different cultures. The
culture of the former Saigon and present-day HCM City
shows an original characteristic of the Vietnamese
culture and nation in the historical and geographical
context of the country’s southern region. |
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Located in Dakao, first district, the temple was built
by Cantonese Buddhists who settled in Saigon in the 19th
century. The architectural style is heavily influenced
by the Chinese of southern China.
The Taoist deity (Emperor of Jade) is enshrined here
along with his 4 guardians (Tu Dai Kim Cuong). The major
attractions to the shrine are the elaborate carvings of
the various deities as well as its unique architectural
style of the interior. This temple is also home to the
Hall of Ten Hells where there are carvings of various
scenes of the various levels of hell. |
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On 28th of March in 1863, priest Lefebvre laid the
first stone for the construction of the cathedral. After
12 years, this wooden church was damaged by worms and
mites. It’s rebuilt on 7th – October in 1877, and French
Clergyman Colombert put the first stone.
The church was completed in the Easter season on 11
of April in 1880, attended by southern Governor Le Myre
de Vilers. The building costs 2,5 millions France
(valued at that time) and being the largest and oldest
cathedral in Viet Nam, modeling after the Notre Dame de
Paris. |
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Dinh Doc Lap or Independent Palace was completed in 1966
after three years of construction. The plans were drawn
by Mr. Ngo Viet Thu, winner of the architectural
excellence prize in Rome. The palace was built on the
original site of the French governor's headquarters in
the 19th century.
President Diem commissioned Mr. Thu to design the new
palace and supervised its construction. Unfortunately,
the president was assassinated shortly after
construction started. The Palace became the home of then
President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu until the
fall of Saigon in 1975. It is now called the
Reunification Hall with all the original furnishings
still kept intact. |
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Considered
as one of the most ancient Chinese temple, the place is
consecrated to the Sea goddess bas on Chinese folk
beliefs. The temple is a place for other gods such as
Money God, Mother Goddess, and Mermaid Queer and ancient
worshipping things are precious and worth seeing. A
prayer for good health and business can be said after an
incense coil is purchased. Good luck in doing business
can be granted by the Money God after some money is
offered to him.
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Built in 1929 with the originally name as “Blanchard de
la Brosse Museumâ€, Viet Nam Historical Museum has an
excellent collection of about 30,000 artifacts on the
evolution and development of the history and cultures of
Vietnam, from the Bronze Age Dong Son civilization (13th
century BC) to the last feudal dynasty ending in the
mid-20th century, with emphasis on the southern Funan,
Vietnamese, Cham and Khmer civilizations and regional
acculturation. |
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Formerly named "The House for Displaying War Crimes of
American Imperialism and the Puppet Government", War
Remnants Museum was established in September 1975. It is
an organization in charge of studying, collecting,
examining, preserving and displaying the remnants of the
wars against the invaders in Vietnam. |
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