Tran Quang
As part of the Ho Chi Minh complex relics, the Presidential Palace Hanoi should be a highlight of your trip to the Hanoi capital. Here, you have the chance to learn about Vietnam’s history and the life of President Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho), Vietnam’s greatest leader.
This yellow mustard building is considered one of the most important historical sites of Vietnam. It is a beautifully restored French-style building constructed in 1906 that is now used for official receptions.
What to see?
The Presidential Palace is a part of a place called the Presidential Palace Historical Site. Between December 19, 1954 and September 2, 1969, President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked there. It’s like a museum that shows the life of President Ho, and it’s a special national relic site. You can’t go inside the Presidential Palace, but you can visit Ho Chi Minh’s house and the grounds around it.
The Presidential Palace was built a long time ago, between 1900 and 1906. It’s where the Governor-General of French Indochina lived. A French architect named Auguste Henri Vildieu designed it. It took seven years to build and was the fanciest building at the time.
The Presidential Palace is a beautiful yellow building. It has a big iron gate, a grand staircase, and 30 rooms, each with its own decoration. The style of the building is called Beaux-Arts, which was popular at the time. The building has a garden with an orchard and a carp pond. There is also a 91-meter long boulevard with beautiful gardens. The only thing that’s tropical is the mango street that leads to Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house at the end.
The Presidential Palace was supposed to be where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. But he didn’t want to live in such a big and fancy house while other people were homeless and hungry. So he decided to live in a small stilt house in the garden instead. The Presidential Palace was meant to be a place where important people came to meet President Ho Chi Minh and where he could meet Vietnamese children.
Today, The Presidential Palace is mainly used for meeting important people from other countries who come to Vietnam.
Some Tips for You:
- Opening Hours: Every day except Monday.
- Price Range: VND 40,000 per person.
- Location: 2 Hung Vuong, Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
- Summer hours (April-October): 07:30-11:00 (morning) and 13:30-16:00 (afternoon).
- Winter hours (November-March): 08:00-11:00 (morning) and 13:30-16:00 (afternoon).
Be sure to allow enough time to visit Ho Chi Minh’s Residence (the house on stilts), which can have long lines during busy periods. Dressing politely is necessary.
Political meetings are still held at the Hanoi Presidential Palace, so tourists can’t go inside, but they can visit the Ho Chi Minh gardens and stilt home for a small fee. It’s a peaceful place with lots of fruit trees, perfect for people who want to get away from the busy city.
The palace is in the Ba Dinh District, only 15 minutes from Hanoi 36 Old Quarter. There are other popular tourist spots nearby, such as the One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and Ho Chi Minh Museum. If you’re staying in this district, you can easily walk to the Presidential Palace because there are many signs and landmarks along the way.
Interesting fact:
The Hanoi Presidential Palace is considered one of the most beautiful palaces in the world by Architecture Digest, a famous magazine from the United States. Its unique style, beauty, and historical significance make it a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get there?
Located in the heart of Hanoi, about 15 minutes from Hanoi Old Quarter, you can easily access this site by motorbike, taxi, or public buses (No. 09, 22, 23, 45, 50), or by walking.
What are the nearby attractions?
Presidential Palace is next to many other top historical and cultural sites in Hanoi. It’s worth visiting all around, including Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi Flag tower, Vietnam Military History Museum, West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple, or Temple of Literature.
What’s inside the Presidential Palace Historical Site?
In addition to the Presidential Palace, the Presidential Palace Historical Site is over 10 hectares in size and has houses, gardens, grass, fish ponds, and walking paths, including:
Wooden stilt house
House No. 67
Uncle Ho’s fish pond
Mango Street
House No. 54
Green garden
Takeaway
- Presidential Palace Hanoi is a beautifully restored French-style building, constructed in 1906, and is considered one of the most important historical sites of Vietnam.
- It is a part of the Presidential Palace Historical Site where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked between 1954 and 1969.
- The Presidential Palace is a beautiful yellow building with a big iron gate, a grand staircase, and 30 rooms, each with its own decoration.
- The Presidential Palace is a special national relic site and it’s like a museum that shows the life of President Ho Chi Minh.
- You can only visit Ho Chi Minh’s house and the grounds around it, but not inside the Presidential Palace.
- The building has a garden with an orchard and a carp pond, and there is also a 91-meter long boulevard with beautiful gardens.
- The Presidential Palace is mainly used for meeting important people from other countries who come to Vietnam.
- Opening Hours: Every day except Monday.
- Price Range: VND 40,000 per person.
- Summer hours (April-October): 07:30-11:00 (morning) and 13:30-16:00 (afternoon).
- Winter hours (November-March): 08:00-11:00 (morning) and 13:30-16:00 (afternoon).
- Dressing politely is necessary.
- Be sure to allow enough time to visit Ho Chi Minh’s Residence (the house on stilts), which can have long lines during busy periods.
