Reunification Conference Hall, also called Thong Nhat
Conference Hall or Presidential Palace, is one of the most attractive
historical sites of Ho Chi Minh City, which attracts tourists in Vietnam
travel. It was built in 1865 on the grounds of Norodom Palace as a
residence for the French Governor General of Cochinchina.
Reunification Conference Hall is located on No.106 Nguyen Du Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. It was built in 1865 on the grounds of Norodom Palace as a residence for the French Governor General of Cochinchina.
After
1954, Ngo Dinh Diem and his family lived in the Norodom Palace. In
February 1963, a dissident launched an air bombardment and heavily
damaged it. Diem rebuilt the palace, which was later replaced by another
one, called the Independence Palace. It was designed by Western-trained
architect Ngo Viet Thu. The construction was undertaken by Saigon
engineers and was completed in 1966.
The
five-story building consists of 100 rooms and chambers decorated with
the finest modern Vietnamese arts and crafts. The ground floor room has a
boat-shaped table that was often used for conferences. Upstairs, a room
called Phu Dau Rong was where Nguyen Van Thieu received foreign
delegations. The residential quarters are in the back of the building.
On the third floor, there is a card-playing room. This floor also
possesses a terrace with a heliport where a helicopter is parked. The
fourth floor was used for dancing, and even had a casino. The most
interesting part of the building is probably the basement containing a
network of tunnels, a telecommunication centre, and a war room.
Reunification Conference Hall seen from above
At
11h30 on 30 April 1975, the palace was overrun by Liberation Army
tanks. Duong Van Minh, who was president at that time, together with his
45-member cabinet, surrendered unconditionally. After the liberation of
Saigon, the Independence Palace was turned into the Headquarters of the
Municipal Military Administrative Committee. In December 1975, the
palace welcomed a conference for national reunification. To mark the
historical significance of the event, the building was renamed Thong
Nhat Conference Hall (Reunification Conference Hall).
Today, Reunification Conference Hall is the famous historical relic of Vietnam in general and of Ho Chi Minh City in particular, which attracts both domestic and foreign visitors in Vietnam travel.
Source: vietnamtourism.org
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