Ten recently acknowledged relics of the Ho Chi Minh city

Relics of the Ho Chi Minh city, the Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee has signed a decision to acknowledge ten historical and cultural monuments, and landscapes as relics of the city. Half of the relics are valuably historical vestiges and half are valuably architectural vestiges.

Below are brief introductions to these relics from the management board of historical and cultural monuments and landscapes of the Ho Chi Minh city Department of Culture and Information.

* The five historical vestiges:

Tu Van Pagoda (62 Phan Xich Long Street, Ward 1, Phu Nhuan District)

Relics of the Ho Chi Minh city, the pagoda was built in the early 20th century in Phu Nhuan District with a total area of 1,000 square meters. It played an important role as the revolutionary foundation in the wars against the French and the Americans. It was burnt by the French in 1945 and rebuilt in 1946 with renovations in 1958, 1980 and 1985.

Thien Quang Pagoda (53/3 My Hue Hamlet, Trung Chanh Commune, Hoc Mon District)

This pagoda was also built in the early 20th century in Hoc Mon and served as the revolutionary foundation in the wars against the French and the Americans.

It was also the shelter for revolutionary soldiers. There was an underground hideout inside the pagoda, which is filled in at present plus a holy place to worship soldiers who sacrificed their lives. There are still some valuable items in the pagoda such as bronze bells and Buddha statues.

Tuong Quang Pagoda (An Phu Dong area historical monument, 581/5C Vuon Lai Street, Quarter 2, District 12)

The pagoda built in 1942 by the superior Buddhist monk Thich Phap Dong is the place to awaken the Buddhist followers to the revolutionary ideas and to mobilize and support the revolution financially. The pagoda located at a large ground along the Vam Thuat river bank is 15 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh city’s central post office.

An Phu Dong area historical monument is the first revolutionary base established in December, 25, 1945 of the province of Gia Dinh, former name of Saigon.

Khanh An Pagoda (An Phu Dong area historical monument, 1055/3D, National Highway 1A, Quarter 3, An Phu Dong Ward, District 12)

The pagoda was built in the end of the 19th century in an area of more than 6,000 square meters by the patriotic superior Buddhist monk Thich Tri Hien.

It serves as the revolutionary foundation in the war against the French from 1930 to 1954. Most of its area is for gardening; in the center of the pagoda’s ground is a pavilion in a pond full of blooming lotus.

Hanh Phu Communal House (An Phu Dong area historical monument, Vuon Lai Street, Quarter 2, An Phu Dong Ward, District 12)

The Hanh Phu Communal House was built around the start of the 19th century in an area of more than 3,200 square meters along the Vam Thuat river bank.

The history of the communal house connects with the history of the Hanh Phu Village. It was built after the establishment of the village and serves as the food storehouse of the Gia Dinh Province’s supplying board of An Phu Dong revolutionary base.

* The five architectural vestiges:

The tomb of tien hien, the person who has credit in building the village, named Ta Duong Minh (No. 10 Road, Quarter 4 Linh Chieu Ward, Thu Duc District)

About 14 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh city, the vestige is the tomb of tien hien Ta Duong Minh, who has the credit in establishing the area of Linh Chieu, the present-day area of Thu Duc District, from 1679.

It has a total area of 108 square meters circled by two layers of walls. It is made from laterite, covered by a layer of ancient compound and has a shape of a sleeping ox.

Van Thanh Pagoda (115/9 Ngo Tat To Street, Ward 22, Binh Thanh District)

The pagoda was built on the ground of the former Van Thanh Temple, the temple of Literature, of the village in the start of the 20th century by Ms. Huynh Thi Loi.

It still reserves many valuable items such as the three ancient steles, a painting in the glass with the shape of Quan Am, the Buddhism goddess.

Phu Lac Communal House (E7/707, Hamlet 5, Phong Phu Commune, Binh Chanh District)

The communal house was built in the end of the 19th century in a traditional southern architectural style in an area full of rivers and canals. It worships the tutelary god and the persons having the credit in building the village.

Phu Long Pagoda (58, Huynh Van Banh Street, Ward 15, Phu Nhuan District)

The pagoda was built in the early 19th century by the superior Buddhist monk Thich Minh Chat. It is the ancient pagoda with a history connecting with the history of the area of Phu Nhuan District. It was renovated three times and has 53 valuable items such as antique statues and lacquered boards.

Binh Quoi Tay Communal House (Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Quarter 3, Ward 28, Binh Thanh District)

Similar to the Phu Lac Communal House, Binh Quoi Tay was also built in the typical architecture of the southern communal houses to pay gratitude to the persons who have credit in building the area, which is now the tourism area of Binh Quoi - Thanh Da.

The communal house is also the place for the villagers to commemorate the ancestors and pray for peace and prosperity. There are some valuable items in the communal house such as the skillfully crafted altars and ancient bronze incense-burners.

(Source: SGT)