Bac Son Monument

Across the street stands the Bac Son Monument, named after the Bac Son Uprising of 1940, the first armed revolt organized by the Vietnamese Communist Party. Inaugurated in 1994, it honors Vietnamese heroes and martyrs who died for national independence, from the fight against French colonial rule through the Vietnam War. Designed by architect Lê Hiệp, the monument takes the form of a tall, slender pyramid meant to portray an eternal flame rising toward the sky. Covered in white granite and set within a pool of water, it represents both the purity of sacrifice and the return of peace. The inscription “Tổ quốc ghi công,” meaning “The Fatherland remembers your service,” expresses the nation’s lasting gratitude. Open day and night, the monument is often used as a place for quiet reflection, and it becomes especially striking after dark, when the lighting makes it glow like a torch.