Beautiful colonial buildings
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.
The real star of the Saigon Central Post Office is the portrait of Ho Chi Minh crowning the main room. His image can be seen from all corners of the room, leaving little wonder as to why the city now bears his name. There are also some interesting old maps of Vietnam and Saigon and booths with antique postcards.
Oh, and it's free to visit. I recommend spending a decent amount of time here to be able to explore it fully. It's beautiful inside and out and makes for a great starting point before doing some shopping on Dong Khoi.
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