Ho Chi Minh Complex
The image of the national hero is always remembered
Despite the ups and downs of history as well as the great influence of extreme weather, HCM Complex has never failed to impress tourists by its beautiful and dignified beauty.
Ho Chi Minh Complex, also known as Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, is the place where Vietnamese beloved President Ho Chi Minh’s body is located so that Vietnamese people, as well as international friends, can pay a respect visit to the beloved father. Not only is the resting place of the great leader of the Vietnamese nation, but the whole landscape in the Ho Chi Minh Complex is also the convergence of quintessence on architecture and cultural space of Hanoi capital during thousand years of civilization.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is built in 3 layers with the height of 21.6m, in which the lower layer is a three-step level, the middle layer is the body room and corridors with stairs up and down, the top layer is the mausoleum’s roof which is designed like a lotus flower blossom. From far away, visitors can easily admire the extremely impressive and striking pink stones in rose plum colour used to create the words “President Ho Chi Minh”.
Ba Dinh Square
In front of Ho Chi Minh Complex lies the historic Ba Dinh Square, where on September 2, 1945, had witnessed the most sacred and solemn moment of the nation when President Ho Chi Minh standing before Vietnamese people and reading proudly the “Declaration of Independence” – the official announcement to the world of the long-term independence of Vietnam. Ba Dinh Square is 320m long, 100m wide, divided into 240 squares of green grass, which represent the familiar image of the mats on the old Vietnamese villages’ yards and where the people attended important ceremonies.
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Apart from Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh Museum is a not-to-miss destination in the Ho Chi Minh Complex for history lovers to discover the lively and sincere life of Vietnamese’s national hero. The museum attracts thousands of tourists every year coming to learn about Uncle Ho’s career and revolutionary activities through documents and exhibits – the hero of Vietnam’s national liberation and world cultural celebrity.
Ho Chi Minh Museum was inaugurated on May 19, 1990, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Uncle Ho’s birth. The museum represents a 20m high lotus with an area of 13,000m2, in which 4,000m2 is used for display. In addition, the museum also has an exhibition space of 400m2, which hosts exhibitions and other cultural activities. Visitors will have chances to gain a detailed insight into the life of one of the greatest celebrities in the world through numerous interesting exhibits of documents, artefacts and artistic images in three main themes: the life and the revolutionary activities of Ho Chi Minh as well as how Vietnamese people carry out his will.
One Pillar Pagoda
Belonging to Ho Chi Minh Complex, One Pillar Pagoda is one of the long-standing historical relics and famous symbol of Hanoi capital. The pagoda makes a first good impression on tourists due to its unique architectural structure with a square structure located on a stone pillar. Besides, the One Pillar Pagoda floating on the lake’s surface thanks to a system of wooden joists forming a solid supporting structure, which makes the design look like a lotus flower growing up from the lake.
One Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 under King Ly Thai Tong reign. In 1105, King Ly Nhan Tong rebuilt and expanded the pagoda to become a large architectural complex corresponding to Linh ChieuLake and added a gold-plated lotus on top of the pillar. Inside the lotus is a purple temple with the goddess images in the roof as well as a gilded statue of the Buddha of Avalokitesvara inside.
Furthermore, the pagoda is also a symbol of knowledge, longevity and salvation through the full realization of wisdom. Unlike any Buddhist temples, One Pillar Pagoda carries deep humane philosophies with outer squares representing the yin, and the circle columns represent the yang. Visiting this ancient destination, visitors will find a peaceful, elegant and gentle pace of life in the special Buddha realm.
Presidential Palace
Exciting to find out the political life of Vietnamese’s beloved father, Uncle Ho? There is nowhere better than the Presidential Palace – the symbolic place where President Ho Chi Minh worked throughout the years after the unification of the country. Presidential Palace – which is located in close proximity to Ho Chi Minh Complex and Ba Dinh Square – is a large building used as a working place for the Presidents of Vietnam and senior government officials as well as a venue for the reception of heads of state or heads of foreign governments when visiting Vietnam.
As one of the largest French-built villas in Indochina at the time, the Presidential Palace covers a total of 30 rooms and each room has a different decor. The building is painted in dark yellow lime and stands behind a large iron gate. The villa consists of two main floors: one is used as living room, working room and banquet room with formal and luxurious styles to suit important meetings of Vietnam government; one is designed as a resting place for the presidents, government officials and staffs. The whole area is surrounded by a gorgeous garden with different types of fruit trees, making it suitable for taking a pleasant walk around the Palace.
Ho Chi Minh Traditional House on Stilts
Although being the head of a state who had supreme power, President Ho Chi Minh was respected and loved by Vietnamese people and international friends by his simple and bold lifestyle. Ho Chi Minh traditional house on stilts is a meaningful and valuable historical and cultural building belonging to Ho Chi Minh Complex, where Uncle Ho spent most of his working and resting time.
Chi Minh traditional house on stilts is the place where Uncle Ho lived and worked for the longest time in his revolutionary life, from May 17, 1958, until his death (1969). Tourists are likely to be interested in the simple but effective design of the stilt houses based on the style of ethnic minority people with two floors: the upper one is used as a working and resting space, the lower one is where Uncle Ho often worked in the summer and a meeting venue of Politburo and intimate guests.
Ho Chi Minh Complex has contributed greatly to the reflection of a simple life and great achievements, along with the process of fighting resoundingly, sacrificing bravely for the independence and freedom of Vietnam, for the happiness of its citizens of President Ho Chi Minh – the beloved father of all Vietnamese people. These five destinations inside the Ho Chi Minh Complex mentioned above are not only renowned for historical significance, but also an architectural work bearing the national identity of Vietnamese culture.