SAIGON WHERE EAST & WEST ARCHITECTURE BLENDED HARMONIOUSLY

Saigon - beautiful and vibrant city of Vietnam. This is a convergence of nostalgic and modern images, where East and West architecture blend harmoniously. If you have ever set foot in Saigon, you certainly cannot help but notice the unique, colorful architectural works and the mixture of past and future, such as: Committee Headquarters People of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, Independence Palace. In this article, we will explore the famous architectural symbols of Saigon. Join us in this exciting journey!

1. Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Headquarters (No. 86 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1)

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee headquarters building is one of the classic architectural works in Ho Chi Minh City built from 1898 to 1909. During the French colonial period, this building was Hôtel de ville in French or palace. Xa Tay in Vietnamese.. this project was designed by architect Femand Gardè to simulate the Paris city hall in the style of bell towers in northern France. A typical structure with the middle part being a raised pointed tower, the two sides have two floors of opposite roofs, the left and right sides of the building are lower than the rest. The facade design of the building has a mixture of many European architectural styles such as Renaissance architectural layout, Baroque and Rococo-style relief decoration, and Art Nouveau-style iron doors. The combination of East and West culture is expressed through the unique architecture imbued with the beauty of France and has been preserved by the Vietnamese for nearly 120 years and has signed a decision to classify it as an Artistic Architectural Monument. National for Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee headquarters. Brings an extremely great artistic value of the harmonious combination between East and West between past and present.

2. Independence Palace (No. 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

Independence Palace is one of the most unique and famous architectural works in Ho Chi Minh City, having existed for more than 150 years. The construction stone was laid by Mr. La Grandière, the French Governor in South Vietnam, in 1868 and completed in 1871. After historical ups and downs, Norodom Palace was demolished and built. New building by architect Ngo Viet Thu. In design style, Vietnamese architects delicately combine modern Western architecture with traditional philosophy imbued with Eastern national character. The most impressive aspect of the entire aspect of the Independence Palace is the symbol The symbol of the character CAT (吉) implies auspiciousness and luck in Eastern feng shui. The creativity and talent hidden in the Independence Palace project has become a unique cultural symbol of Vietnam, preserving the modern beauty of Saigon's early Indochina architecture. It can be said that the Independence Palace is a place that clearly shows the combination of East and West, as well as accompanying history to the present. The Independence Palace has long been considered a symbol of peace for the nation. When you come here, you will admire the beauty of the architecture and visit areas displaying artifacts of historical value. Guaranteed not to disappoint you!

3. Ho Chi Minh City Opera House (No. 7 Cong Truong Lam Son Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1)

Ho Chi Minh City Theater, also known as Opera House, is one of the most important cultural symbols in Vietnam. City Opera House. Ho Chi Minh City was started in 1898, completed 2 years later with Gothic style architecture that flourished in France at the end of the 19th century. This project was designed by a group of French architects, characterized by the combination Skillful combination of architecture and sculpture. Through many historical events, the City Theater was also somewhat damaged. In 1998, this place was renovated with the motto of restoring and preserving the original architectural style. Decorative motifs such as statues of artistic goddesses, flower strings, etc. were restored to their original state nearly 100 years ago. Ho Chi Minh City Theater has witnessed many important events and developments in performing arts and culture in Vietnam. It has played host to many notable plays, musicals, and artistic events. In addition to performing famous plays from home and abroad, Ho Chi Minh City Theater also attracts audiences with its wonderful architecture and luxurious design. It owns a large stage, performance room and high-quality lighting and sound systems, allowing performers and audiences to enjoy quality performances.

4. Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts (97A Duc Chinh Ward, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

Construction of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts began in 1987 and it was not until 1991 that it began operating. Today, the museum is considered an interesting place to discover art in Saigon. This famous mansion is associated with legends and the name of a Chinese businessman named Hua Bon Hoa, whom people here often call Uncle Hoa - the richest man in Saigon in the early years of the 20th century. As for Chu Hoa's private residence, construction was completed in 1925, designed by French architects. This project is built on a large campus with a U-shaped floor plan. Although it is a private residence, the building is The house is as large as a castle in Renaissance Europe. The City Museum of Fine Arts was established in 1987, but officially opened to visitors in 1989. Through many changes in history, Uncle Hoa's House today has become the Fine Arts Museum, one of Typical cultural works of the city. Under Vietnamese ownership, the house still has many Western-style features such as balconies, exposed concrete roofs, lobby pillars and wrought iron structural systems on stairs and railings. The outside doorways and windows on the stairs are decorated with stained glass panels, and even the tiles have bold European patterns. Besides, the Asian style is clearly shown in the roof of the mansion, covered with red yin and yang tiles, blue enamel on the lobby pillars, decorative motifs on the roof edges or parallel Chinese characters on both sides of the main door. . Next is the wooden elevator of this Mansion. Entering the main lobby, you will see the elevator right near the stairs. The Hua Family mansion is considered one of the first buildings in Saigon to have an elevator. Bringing high artistic value, the City Museum of Fine Arts today has more than 21,000 artifacts including paintings, statues and relics related to big names in the country's fine arts industry. Bringing a feeling of both ancient times and modernity with touches of European culture. And it is also a place worth visiting for tourists.

Through the above architectural works, we can see that Saigon is a place with unique architecture, a harmonious combination of East and West, past and present. It is an extremely unique cultural, historical and artistic value that contributes to the development of Vietnam's tourism and carries a bold impression in the hearts of every tourist when coming to Vietnam.