City Hall (People's Committee Building), Saigon/HoChiMinh City

City Hall (People's Committee Building), Saigon/HoChiMinh City (must see)

At the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard stands one of Ho Chi Minh City鈥檚 most photographed landmarks: the former H么tel de Ville, now officially the People鈥檚 Committee Building. With its pale yellow fa莽ade, ornate balconies, and central bell tower, the building looks as if it has been transported straight from a French provincial town square 鈥� except that here, palms sway in the tropical breeze.

Designed by French architect Paul Gard猫s and completed in 1908, the structure was once the proud City Hall of Saigon. It kept that name until 1954, then served as the administrative center of South Vietnam until the reunification in 1975, when it became the People鈥檚 Committee headquarters. Despite the changes in government, the building itself has remained remarkably consistent: elegant, symmetrical, and always a backdrop for important events in the city.

Out front you鈥檒l find a bronze statue of Uncle Ho gently teaching a child 鈥� a favorite photo spot for both locals and visitors. The gardens around the building are carefully tended, with seasonal flowers adding bursts of color that make the whole square look like a giant open-air stage. At night, the entire fa莽ade glows under soft golden lighting, giving it an almost theatrical appearance.

Did you know? The bell tower perched above the central pediment is not just decorative 鈥� it was inspired by town halls in northern France, meant to symbolize both civic pride and the colonial authorities鈥� 鈥渧oice鈥� ringing out across the city.

Unfortunately, the interior remains off-limits since it houses government offices, so you can鈥檛 wander the halls. Still, the best 鈥渟how鈥� is outside. For the most magical photos, arrive just before sunset when the sky deepens to pink and the lights switch on 鈥� your snapshots will look like they belong on a vintage postcard.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: City Hall (People's Committee Building)
Sight Location: Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam (See walking tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Saigon/HoChiMinh City Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam

Create Your Own Walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City

Creating your own self-guided walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Saigon/HoChiMinh City Introduction Walking Tour

While many people still fondly say 鈥淪aigon,鈥� the city officially became Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC in 1976, to honor the revolutionary leader who led North Vietnam. But call it what you will 鈥� Saigon still lives in the names, food stalls, and in locals鈥� hearts, especially in District 1, the area most of us think of when we say 鈥淪aigon.鈥�

Long before colonial buildings and skyscrapers,... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles

Chinatown Walking Tour

The relationship between Vietnam and China traces back over 2,000 years. Over this time, Vietnamese culture, customs, administrative system, and even the language have been heavily influenced by the great northern neighbor. So much so, in fact, that although Vietnam had its own spoken language, until the late 1800s its official written language was Chinese.

Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh City,... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Saigon Shopping Tour

Among other accolades, Ho Chi Minh City is known as a great shopping destination. Attesting to its reputation are a plethora of street markets scattered throughout the city, selling all sorts of fresh local produce, including coffee beans, and other delights, not to mention street food and souvenirs 鈥� all at extremely competitive prices. There are also designated markets specialized in niche... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Historical Religious Sites

For centuries, Vietnamese people have practiced Confucianism and Buddhism brought over from neighboring China. Added to these Eastern teachings, in the 16th century, was Christianity 鈥� introduced to Vietnam by Western missionaries. The result of this variety of faiths has become a mixture of gorgeous Confucian and Buddhist temples and Catholic churches in Ho Chi Minh City. Some of these... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles

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