Reunification Palace
Reunification Palace is (known as Independence Palace) the famous historical witness which passed through the two fierce wars against the French and American colonists. The palace was built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City and designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu.
The Reunification Palace is one of the holy triumvirate of attractions in Ho Chi Minh City's downtown District 1. Just like the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post Office, it sits as a time capsule of the city's turbulent past. The Reunification Palace was the site of dramatic finish to the Vietnam War as tanks crashed through the main stage and the victor's flag hung on the balcony on the morning of 30 April 1975.
When first completed in 1873, the complex covered 12 hectares with spacious gardens and a palace with an 800 metre-wide facade and an 800-person guest chamber. From 1873 to 1954, it was known as Norodom Palace, after the Cambodian king, and served as the residence of the Governors General of French Indochina throughout this time. Only during the occupation of Vietnam by the Japanese during World War II was this chain of governance broken. After the Geneva Accords in 1955, the palace was handed to Ngo Dinh Diem, the first prime minister of the State of Vietnam. The left wing of the palace was destroyed in 1962 after a bombing by two South Vietnamese pilots that mutinied. The remains of the palace were demolished.
So, Ngo Dinh Diem ordered the rebuilding of the Palace based on a design by the celerated architect Ngo Viet Thu, the first Vietnamese who won the Roman Champion. The construction was begun in July 1962 and completed in Octorber 1966. Independence Palace served as central command for the South Vietnamese effort against communist forces until April 21, 1975 when General Thieu wa evacuated as part of Operation Frequent Wind - the largest helicopter evacuation in history. On Aphe celenrated architect, Ngo Viet Thu, the first Vietnamese who won the Roman Champion. On April 30, 1975 North Vietnamese forces captured the palace and later renamed it Reunification Palace.
This area of 12 hectares, a surface area is about 2,000 square meters. The building has an area of 4.500 sqaure meters, including one ground floor, 3 main floors, 2 mezzanines, 1 terrace can be used for landing place of helicopters over 100 rooms, 4,000 lights, 400 internal telephone lines, 1 permanent basement, 1 backup Raio, 1 commanding rooms, etc.
Nowadays, the Independence Palace is a popular Historical Relic in Ho Chi Minh City and visited by many foreign and domestic tourists. This place has also used for the Governments's meeting and receptions.
