Saigon Demolishes 3 Heritage Villas to Make Room for Covid-19 Memorial Park
As part of a plan to build a dedicated space to commemorate victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saigon authorities recently demolished several heritage buildings from the 1950s, sparking concerns about the city’s loss of architectural heritage.
What a Set of Art Homework From Long Xuyên Teaches Us About 1930s Vietnam
Much like their descendants today, schoolchildren of 1930s Vietnam also took art classes as part of their syllabus. In this rare collection of what was essentially our grandparents’ homework, we can surprisingly learn a lot about the daily life of Mekong Delta residents from nearly 100 years ago.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
1997 Vietnam Through the Lens of Saigon's Former Canadian Consul General
Digging into one’s collection of old mementos can be a thrilling experience. From antique watches to tattered letters, these trinkets serve as a remembrance of a period of time in our past. For Kyle Nunas, Saigon’s former Consul General of Canada (2017–2020), his connection with the bustling metropolis began with this collection of old photos captured during a trip to Vietnam over 20 years ago.
On the Sidewalks of 1979 Saigon: Books, Knick-Knacks and a Multitude of Bicycles
Before the motorbikes invaded all aspects of modern Vietnam, Saigon streets were all bicycles, vintage cars and xích lô.
These Rare Photos From 1997 Are a Time Capsule of Vietnam's Transformations
The 1990s were a time of significant change in Vietnam.
Tâm Lê in Saigon
Street Cred: Phan Đình Phùng, My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather
An unassuming street named Phan Đình Phùng runs through Saigon’s Phú Nhuận District. It is named after a Vietnamese revolutionary who led rebel armies against French colonial forces in the 1880s and 1890s. He is also my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.
Lycée Marie Curie: The High School That Has Stood the Test of Time
Marie Curie High School, also called Lycée Marie Curie in French or Trường Trung Học Phổ Thông Marie Curie in Vietnamese, is a public high school located in Saigon’s District 3.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Old Saigon Building of the Week: The Glitz and Glam of Tự Do Nightclub
While today’s Đồng Khởi Street is peppered with tourist-centric shops and restaurants, just half a century ago, the downtown street was the nightlife hotspot for Saigon’s cool kids to congregate.
Saigon’s Citadel - Part 2
This is part 2 of our series on Saigon's citadel. You can read part 1 here. Nguyen Anh (AKA Gia Long) would never use his citadel for military action as hostilities only resumed after his death in 18...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Check Out This Badass
In the time before Ducatis and Yamaha FZ16s were the hottest things on two wheels in Saigon, the Honda Cub 67 reigned supreme with local cool kids. Even though many of the old 67's are still around, ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Saigon Railroad Building
Not too long ago, the park across from Ben Thanh Market was the location of the city's main train station. Even though the station moved to District 3 following the American War, remnants of the old ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Nước Mía
This old school nước mía cart looks pretty sleek...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Majestic Hotel (1920s)
The Majestic Hotel has occupied its current location along the Saigon river since 1925. Commissioned by Chinese businessman Hui Bon Hoa, the hotel has undergone a number of major renovations over the...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Street Signs: Trần Hưng Đạo, Warrior Poet (Part 1)
Trần Hưng Đạo Street is a major thoroughfare, stretching from District 1 to District 5. Let’s take a closer look at the street’s namesake and see why he is one of Vietnam’s most famous historical...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: 33 Export
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Go Vap (1930)
There's little to be found in English about the development of Saigon's outer districts. Like much of the city's colonial urban history, if records do exist, they're likely buried in some Parisian arc...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Standard Radio (1970)
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Crossroads
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Art Deco
When the French occupied Vietnam, they brought many elements of their home country with them. Even today, from architecture to food, the colonial footprint can still be seen. At the height of French ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day
When Saigon was the city of bikes.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
12 Old Pictures of Saigon Canals
Canals used to serve as the Saigon's main commercial highway, connecting the city to the Saigon river and in turn the web of rivers that traverse Vietnam. Before the construction of large urban marke...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Slideshow: Saigon Past and Present in a Single Image
As we've seen in our slideshows of old pictures, while Saigon is rapidly changing, some things and places stay the same. And what better way to illustrate this change than by overlaying the old with t...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Slideshow: 12 Old Pictures of Advertisements in Saigon
Before 1975, large advertisements were commonplace in Saigon. But after the American War and the fall of capitalism in the South, ads were considered a vestige of the old order and were heavily regula...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
[Video] What Saigon's Streets Looked Like in 1993
Last week we saw some pictures of Hanoi from the mid-90s. Today, we're treated with a video which shows Saigon street life in 1993 captured by Dung Hua. As with all the old Saigon pictures and videos...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Street Signs - Ton Duc Thang
In our last addition of “Street Signs,” we took a look at Nguyen Thi Minh Khia. Today, we’ll tackle the name of one of Saigon’s oldest streets, Ton Duc Thang. Ton Duc Thang was born in 1888 in An Gia...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
11 Old Pictures of People in Saigon
We spend a lot of time writing about old buildings and changes to Saigon's skyline, but today, we take a closer look at the people of past Saigon. The clothing and hair styles may seem a bit antiquat...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
The Oldest House in Saigon
While Saigon houses many wonderful examples of colonial architecture, there are few buildings standing that predate the 1880s. After all, the city isn’t particularly old, having been a fishing village...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
8 Old Pictures of Saigon's Canals
Saigon has long been a city of canals; even Nguyen Hue Street used to be one. But today, as the city's infrastructure continues to prioritize roads, many canals have ceased to function as comme...
