Dragon Wharf or Dragon House Wharf (Vietnamese: bến Nhà Rồng, bến means wharf), also know as Ho Chi Minh museum, is one of the top tourist attractions in the city. Not only famous by the unique architecture, but also by it critical historical events. Futuremore, with the open-air view, the harbor is a also the best place to admire the sun set.

History and architecture of Dragon Wharf

Dragon Wharf, originally called the Imperial Transport Company Headquarters (Hotel des Messageries Impériales), construction began on March 4, 1863 and was completed in 1 year to exchange goods, weapons, and materials during the occupation of French in Vietnam.

Dragon Wharf in the past

The wharf consists 2 storey building according to the European architectural style. However, the roof made by Orient style, head horse-shaped, anchor, and “two dragons flanking the moon” at the middle of the roof top. The named “Nhà Rồng” also came from these dragon statues.

In 1871, due to the influence of the Republic, the company changed its name to Messageries Maritimes. The moon detail on the roof is replaced by the company’s logo of a crown, anchor and horse head. The “Horse Head” insignia refers to the time when in France, the company specialized in road transport with horses pulling carts, while “Anchor” symbolizes ships. Therefore, people also call it “Horse Head” company.

However, in 1955 when the French was defeated, the Government of South Vietnam took control and renovated the roof of the building, replaced the two old dragons into new ones with a turning back. Since then, the architecture of this buidling has been almost unchanged.

Dragon Wharf in the past

Dragon Wharf in the past

A dragon image at one corner of the building

The wharf was well know for a historic event. On 5th June 1911, from this harbor, Nguyễn Tất Thành, a young patriot at aged 21, and become President Ho Chi Minh later, embarked aboard the ship Amiral de Latouche-Tréville to sail to France. Follow a dream to bring back a liberty for motherland, he returned to Vietnam to lead the revolution in 1941. And with his ingenious leadership, Vietnam gained independence. Since then, Dragon Wharf was the great spiritual significance who desire to discover about the Vietnam history.

ship Amiral de Latouche-Tréville

The ship Amiral de Latouche-Tréville

In September 1979, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh city chose Dragon Wharf as Ho Chi Minh memorial house, then changed it into Ho Chi Minh Museum branch in Ho Chi Minh city.

Explore the gallery in Dragon Wharf

Currently, the museum has 07 exhibit halls, including 4 galleries about the life and great revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh, 03 special thematic galleries, including documents, artifacts, images related to President Ho Chi Minh’s biography, and revolutionary career.

Totally, the museum is currently reserving, and exhibiting about 11,372 items, along with about 3,300 books on the subject of the president. Thematic rooms are as follows:

Theme room 1: President Ho Chi Minh in his childhood and youth (1890-1920).

items display in Dragon Wharf

The revolutionary activist initially accepted Marxism-Leninism and affirmed that this was the path to regaining independence and freedom of Vietnamese.

Theme room 2: President Ho Chi Minh founded the working class political party

Dragon house wharf

Vietnam (1920-1930) by inheriting and creatively applying V.I Lenin’s Theses on national and colonial issues from V.I Lenin.

Theme room 3: From 1930 to 1954

display in Dragon wharf

The period of struggle to maintain the government and resolute resistance against the French colonialists, especially the person who organized and led the August Revolution won, from then on, Democratic Vietnam the Republic was founded.

Theme room 4: from 1954 to 1969

Dragon house wharf

He refused to submit to the US and led the socialist revolution to liberate the South and unify the country. 

Useful information

Source: collected by An

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