Former Bank of Indochina

The building you see on your right is the Former Bank of Indochina, now the headquarters of the State Bank of Vietnam. The building was completed in the late 20s and designed by the French architect Félix Dumail. During the colonial period, it became the financial center of French Indochina, where currency, credit, and major economic projects were all managed, including the issuance of the Indochinese piastre. Its massive symmetrical façade, geometric lines, and decorative friezes were designed to convey strength and stability. Since 1951, the building has housed the National Bank and later the State Bank of Vietnam, which oversees monetary policy and issues the Vietnamese đồng. It is still one of the main centers of financial decision-making in the country.