Historical Tour - Monday (thứ hai)

Today after school, I asked my xe om driver Anh Ni to take me around to the center city area so I could see some of the sites (descriptions taken and edit from the HCMC Department of Tourism):



- Building started in 1886 and was completed in 1891 under architect Villedieu's design, this magnificent building was located on a high hill by the side of the Notre Dame cathedral with Hai Ba Trung avenue in the back. The building's front side is adorned with rectangle squares inscribed with the names of telegraphic and electric inventors together with figures of famous men and women wearing laurel wreaths. A big clock hangs over the dome of the building . Inside the building, visitors can see two historical maps, one is "Saigon and its environments" created in 1892 and "Telegraphic network in South Vietnam and Cambodia" created in 1936.

Post office = buu dien
Address: 2 Cong Xa Paris





Looks like a European railway station no? It was surprisingly beautiful inside...and Uncle Ho as always watches over us.



Inaugurated in 1880, Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the oldest and biggest Catholic churches in Vietnam. This neo-Romanesque architecture, built with bricks and tiles imported from France, is remiscient of the cathedrals in Paris, Chartres or Reim. Visitors can attend mass held three times on weekdays and six times on Sundays.

Address: Cong xa Paris Square, Dong Khoi & Han Thuyen Streets, District 1, HCMC
Open: Daily, Sunday Mass 9:30am

And finally, I also visited the Reunification Palace:


The Unification Hall, laid out on wind-water geometric principles, is the most beautiful building of Vietnamese architecture of the 1960’s. The building is preserved almost as it was (previously the South Vietnam presidential palace) under the old Saigon regime with the interior decorated with fine Vietnamese art and crafts. Among its 100 rooms and chambers are president's reception room, credentials presentation room and banquet room.

Address: 106 Nguyen Du Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Open daily: from 8am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm.
Entry: VND15,000

There is a lot of history here with this building, and the upcoming April 30th holiday, "Liberation Day"...so I am going to save that for another post. Again, more photos on Picasa.