The Saigon Central Post Office or Ho Chi Minh City Post Office is located in the downtown Ho Chi Minh City, near Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, the city’s cathedral. The building was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina in the late 19th century. It counts with Gothic, Renaissance and French influences. It was constructed between 1886-1891 and is now a tourist attraction.
Saigon Central Post Office was designed by Alfred Foulhoux, but is often erroneously credited as being the work of Gustave Eiffel or a collaboration between Foulhoux and Hanoi-based Auguste Henri Vildieu. As translated by the historian Tim Doling, the journal Architecte constructeur: The inauguration the new Saigon Post Office, which was held on July 14, had been postponed until the return of the Governor General.
This monument, adorned with a most artistic façade, is particularly well laid out and well equipped for the different services to which it is intended; it does the greatest honour to the skill and talent of the distinguished Chief Architect of the Colony, M. Foulhoux.
Inside the Saigon Central Post office of special note are two painted maps that were created just after the post office was built, the first one located on the left side of the building is a map of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia titled Lignes telegraphiques du Sud Vietnam et Cambodge 1892 which translates to “Telegraphic lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia 1892”.
The second map of greater Saigon is titled Saigon et ses environs 1892 that translates as “Saigon and its surroundings 1892”. The post office makes a great retreat from the city heat and bustle. You may also buy some postcards and stamps here to send your beloved a letter.
Read more
[vc_custom_heading text=”Tour Packages” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”section-title”]
Leave a Reply