Saigon Central Post Office (Bưu điện)

The Saigon Central Post Office is one of the most beautiful colonial buildings in the city. The French influence is indisputable; this is especially so considering that it was designed by the architecture studio of Gustave Eiffel himself in the late 19th century.

It didn't seem too crowded when we visited, but perhaps it's hard to tell since the symmetry and dimensions give a truly colossal aspect to the place. The sensation of space is due mainly to the large skylights in the ceiling which fill the building with natural light. One curiosity of this building is the names written on the columns: Franklin, Ampere, and other scientists who made major leaps in the field of electricity. No one knows why Eiffel chose these geniuses for this building.

This building is one of the most iconic in Ho Chi Minh City. It was built between 1886 and 1891 by Gustave Eiffel and is located just opposite the Cathedral of Notre Dame on Cong Xa Paris Street. The exterior has a light coral tone with cream-colored decorative touches. The giant clock is also quite striking.

I've heard that Gustave Eiffel's inspiration for this building was a train station. The interior has an amazing gilded dome which rests on green columns and hovers over a massive portrait of Ho Chi Minh.

The view of Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh is surprising. It is a replica of the one in Paris, amid chaotic traffic and thousands of oriental faces, but no less surprising is the post office, one of the most beautiful colonial buildings located across the street. The Post Office building was designed in 1886 by the Gustav Eiffel School. The facade reminds you of an old station. Inside, given the breadth of the room and above, the glass roof gives lots of light, and there are a lot of people moving around. On the sides there are different offices, one for selling stamps, certificates, and for package shipments.

Close to the palace and church which makes for a good day of Saigon sight seeing.