Sunday, May 6, 2012

Old Saigon Pictures

Saigon in old pictures

May 6, 2012
LookAtVietnam – 100 rare black and white pictures depicting the landscapes and people of Saigon in the past were displayed at Le Van Tam Park in HCM City, at the HCM City Book Fair in March. Below are some of them:
A music band in Saigon in 1900.
A music troupe of Saigon at the Marseille Fair in 1906.

Costumes of Saigoneese women in the early 20th century.

Cyclos appeared in Saigon in 1939. The first cyclo was invented by a French man
named Coupeaud. The first city using this vehicle was Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
This vehicle then came to Saigon. In late 1939, Saigon had only 40 cyclos.
The number rose to 200 in 1940.


On the bank of Saigon River in 1880.

Saigoneese women play cards.

Miss Saigon 1925.

Saigon Botanical Garden was built in 1864 on 12 hectares. In 1865, it was expanded to 20 hectares,
 managed by the Saigon Council. A French man, Mr. Jean Baptiste Louis Pierre, was the founder
and the first director of the garden. There are two special construction works in the garden – the
Hung Kings Temple (built in 1926) and the History Museum, which opened in 1929.


A coach running from Saigon to Vung Tau in 1925.

A Chinese mission arrived in Saigon in 1920 by boat.

Gia Dinh Hospital in the early 20th century. This hospital was built by the French, named
Hospital de GiaDinh. In 1945, it was renamed into Nguyen Van Hoc Hospital. In 1968,
it was re-built and named Gia Dinh Medical Center. After 1975, it has become
the Gia Dinh People’s Hospital.


A passenger carriage in Saigon.

A street of Saigon in 1915.

Boats on Saigon River in 1920.

Ben Thanh Market was built before the French came to Saigon. The market was firstly
situated along Ben Nghe River and then it was moved to the southern bank of a canal named
Kinh Lon. In 1887, the canal was filled in so the market was moved to nearby My Tho railway
station or the current location of Benh Thanh market.

The market was built in 1912 to March 1914 and it is still called Ben Thanh market.

The Tax Trading Center was built in 1880. It was called les Grands Magazins Charner for a long time.
This center mainly sold imported products from Europe for rich people. In 1942, the center had one
more floor. In 1960, it was re-named Tax Trading Center.


The first coffee shop in central Saigon in 1915.

Xa Tay Palace was built in 1898-1909, designed by French architect Gardes, featuring bell tower
 in northern France. Under the Saigon regime, it was the town hall. Today, it is the office of the
 HCM City People’s Committee.


Boy-Landry, a famous French company, is located in Saigon’s hub in the early 20th century.

Grand Hotel was built in 1930 in French style. Located in the center of Saigon, the hotel
welcomed international businessmen and visitors.


The court of Saigon is now the Sunwah building in District 1.

Miss Cavell Road in the French ruled period was named Princess Huyen Tran road in 1955.

L’Avenue Jaccareo road is now Tan Da road.

The Peace Square in 1958, which is now the Paris Commune Square.

PV

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