Ba Đinh Square

You’ve now arrived at Ba Đình Square, the political and symbolic center of Vietnam. This wide, open square has witnessed some of the country’s most important moments in modern history. On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence here before a huge crowd, an event commemorated every year on National Day. Ho Chi Minh, born in 1890, devoted his life to securing independence while Vietnam was under French colonial rule. A tireless traveler, he spent years abroad in France, the Soviet Union, and China, studying revolutionary ideas and communism. In 1945, he returned to Vietnam and became the country’s first president. Despite his authority, he led a modest life, wearing simple clothes and presenting himself as a man of the people. For many Vietnamese, he is both the father of the nation and a moral figure respected beyond politics. The city honors him in several places, including the temple-like building before you: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Built in the 70s on the exact spot where he declared independence, it was inspired by Lenin’s mausoleum in Moscow but incorporates Vietnamese symbols, like its lotus-shaped design. Inside, his embalmed body rests in a climate-controlled room under soft lighting, always watched by guards. Visits are brief, quiet, and orderly, which adds to the solemn atmosphere. Behind the mausoleum, the gardens are open to the public, including the stilt house where he lived simply, built of wood beside a pond. Around the square, you’ll see several important buildings: the Presidential Palace, which we’ll visit shortly; the National Assembly across the lawn; and various government ministries to the right. Today, the square is a large open space of geometric lawns, designed for ceremonies, parades, and national gatherings. Its name comes from a village in central Vietnam where a major uprising against French colonial rule occurred in the late 19th century — the Ba Đình Uprising — a symbol of national resistance. Every morning and evening, the raising and lowering of the flag keep Vietnam’s history and traditions alive.