Saigon / Independence Palace (now Reunification Palace)

This building impressed me a lot the first time I visited it. I visited it again on this trip to Saigon and took many pictures. Here is a glimpse of them.

Many visitors for this building: Koreans, Vietnamese and Westerners. Tourist buses where limousines once dropped official visitors. The garden is beautiful. You may notice in the back two tanks, those which broke into the palace on April 30, 1975.





The fountain is designed with geometric figures. Even in a place so well-kept, water and time have their effect on the stone.


The building itself has no gates; one walks in from the garden and feels with every step the light dimming, the air cooling.


Still on the ground floor, towards the sides and the back of the building, the same holds true. I have the impression that the architectural elements are placed with the same rythm, with variations. A theme and variations in a way...



Once inside, in the lobby, on the first floor or on the terrasse, when facing the city, shapes and surfaces are defined by the way they cut, reflect or absorb light.




Facing other directions, it's a more peaceful impression of shades and gradations, where harmony rules.


Say hi to the mirror on your way to the bathroom.

And walk up the stairs towards the top floor. Notice that even in these service stairs, attention was paid to every detail.


Eventually, you'll find yourself only one flight of stairs away from the rooftop, but don't forget to send me a text message from your cell-phone to let me know! ;-)

There are many pictures I wanted to show you but I hope you enjoyed these and you are now acquainted with this exceptional building.