Independence Palace, Presidential palace in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Independence Palace is a presidential building in District 1 at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, with four floors above ground and bunkers below. The compound sits within spacious gardens with lawns, paved paths and military vehicles from the war period.
A South Vietnamese Air Force pilot bombed the building on April 8, 1975, causing damage but the structure remained standing. Three weeks later, North Vietnamese Army tanks drove through the gates and ended the division of the country.
The name recalls the reunification of the country and visitors walk through rooms kept exactly as they were during the final years of conflict. Original telephones, maps and furniture show how government officials worked in these spaces before the takeover.
Some areas are air conditioned while others have only natural ventilation, so comfortable clothing is advisable. The underground rooms are lit but narrower and cooler than the spaces above ground.
The underground command room has a working communication system with cables and old radio equipment still in place. Some map tables show markings from the final days of the conflict that were never removed.
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