Presidential Palace of Vietnam

Palace in Hanoi

CC BY-SA 2.0 / xiquinhosilva

The Presidential Palace of Vietnam, situated in Hanoi, serves as the official residence of the president of Vietnam. Prior to 1954, it was known as the Palace of the Governor-General of Indochina.

The palace was constructed between 1900 and 1906 to accommodate the French governor-general of Indochina. Designed by architect Charles Lichtenfelder, the structure showcases European architectural styles, typical of French colonial buildings. Its location in Vietnam is only visually indicated by the presence of mango trees on the grounds.

The yellow palace, characterized by Italian Renaissance design elements such as aedicules, a grand piano nobile accessed by a staircase, broken pediments, classical columns, and quoins, stands behind wrought iron gates flanked by sentry boxes.

Upon Vietnam’s independence in 1954, Ho Chi Minh symbolically refused to live in the opulent palace but continued to receive state guests there. He built a traditional Vietnamese stilt house and carp pond on the grounds, which were designated as the Presidential Palace Historical Site in 1975. Today, the palace hosts government meetings and, while the building itself is not open to the public, visitors can explore the surrounding grounds for a fee.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located nearby. Notably, on February 27, 2019, the Presidential Palace was the venue for the second official meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

The Presidential Palace of Vietnam appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Hanoi!

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