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| A delegation of representatives of competent departments and travel firms survey the sightseeing tour of the HCMC People's Committee headquarters building on April 22. (Photo: SGGP) |
It is the first time that the 114-year-old- building opens for the public on the occasion of the death anniversary of Hung Kings, and the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30).
The visit is expected to be a new tourist product providing an impression to visitors on the upcoming national holidays.Tourists will have a look of the main lobby, diplomatic reception room, the main stair on the ground floor, the meeting room No.5 and balcony on the second floor of the building.
The one-hour sightseeing tour of the historical building will be organized from 8 am to 12 pm and 2pm to 5 pm on April 29-30.
Each group of visitors must not exceed 30 persons. Visitors are required to comply with Covid-19 preventive and control measures.
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| A diplomatic reception room in the building (Photo: SGGP) |
HCMC has previously planned to organize public tours of State agencies’ buildings that are landmarks of special architectural significance in the city. However, the project has not been implemented yet. Visitors are just allowed to take pictures from the outside of the buildings.
The pilot program of receiving tourists to visit HCMC People's Committee headquarters aims to diversify tourist products and introduce the city’s image as a safe, friendly and attractive destination to visitors.
TST Tourists Company will take a group of more than 20 tourists to visit the headquarters building of the municipal People's Committee on April 29, said the travel firm’s director of marketing and communication Nguyen Minh Man.
Several tourist companies have also received a number of calls asking for information about this new sightseeing tour.
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| A main stairs on the ground floor in the building (Photo: SGGP) |
The People’s Committee Building of HCMC was recognized as a national architectural relic, according to the decision No. 3244/QĐ-BVHTTDL issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2020.
The headquarters of the People’s Committee of HCMC, previously known as the HCMC Hall or “L'Hôtel de Ville” is one of the most ancient architectures in the city. It was built from 1898 until 1909 and designed by the French architect, Femand Gardès, simulating the bell tower style in Northern France. After 1975 until today, the building is the workplace of the People’s Committee of HCMC.
The construction has a tall protruding tower. Two sides of the building are two balanced attics, the left and right sides of the work are lower than the rest. The facade design is a mixture of Baroque, Rococo, and Art Nouveau architectural styles.
