Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – Final Resting Place of the Great Vietnamese Leader

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, one of the best 5 places to visit in Hanoi, is certainly the most well-known location among modern Vietnamese and also people from other countries. It is the place where the people pay respect to the great leader of the country. Here, we will guide you on how to fully enjoy this magnificent destination.

Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is actually a very large complex consisting of not only the Mausoleum but also Ho Chi Minh Museum and One Pillar Pagoda. Therefore, those who love history and architecture can easily be satisfied with this location.

First of all, you should visit the Mausoleum which is one of the most magnificent buildings during your travel to Vietnam. You will notice the vast patches of grasses, the ancient trees around the place which create the peaceful feeling in the mind of the visitors which is Ba Dinh Square. A lot of important events in the countries were held there, including when Ho Chi Minh read the Vietnam Independence Declaration. Even though inspired by Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has several features from the unique Vietnamese style.

It is always great to line up with the local people and follow their way to pay respect to the great leader. However, you must also note that there are a few rules when you step inside the mausoleum. Firstly, your camera, mobile phone, and some other electronic devices will be kept and returned after you leave the mausoleum. You will be required to dress neatly so short skirts or tank tops are not allowed. Finally, be respectful and avoid pointing fingers or making noise when you see the body of Ho Chi Minh.

The preserved body of the great leader is located in the central hall of the building. Reaching the hall, you will see the honor guard stand firm and ready to protect the body. Kept in the glass, the body light up with dim lights creating the nostalgic memories from the past.

After that, Excursion Vietnam recommends you to visit Ho Chi Minh Museum where many relics in the past are kept. The Collection includes artifacts, miniatures, videos and other documents about the Vietnamese leader. Visitors will be guided through many marks in Vietnam Revolution related to Ho Chi Minh.

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Other than that, you can also arrive in Ho Chi Minh stilt house, a modest building in which the Chairman spent his last 11 years from 1958. Unlike leaders at that time, Ho Chi Minh decided not to waste resources in order to make the house, instead, the best material must be used to build schools for children. Although simple, the ponds full of fishes, ancient trees and the chirp of birds are enough for tourists to immerse in the peaceful sceneries.

The One Pillar Pagoda is considered to be one of the symbols of Vietnamese temple beside Perfume Temple. This temple has the history of 1000 years dated back to the Ly Dynasty and receives thousands of tourists every year. It is a perfect example of the ancient architecture style in Vietnam which can be seen in the roof and decorations. The significant features are the 4-meter pillar (not counting the part under the ground) and the double dragons on the roofs. Even though not remain intact, One Pillar Temple still represents a lotus (symbol of purity in Buddhism) growing straight from the mud.

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The Building of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

According to Ho Chi Minh’s last will, he wants to be cremated after passed away and his remnants are distributed to 3 regions of the country. However, officials within the government decided to preserve his body to allow people from the South and future generations to see Ho Chi Minh face once more. To archive this, they invited experts and scientists from the Soviet Union (Russia) to Vietnam.

The design is contributed by people from all over the country within 2 years before construction. There were about 200 concepts, 20 of which were chosen to exhibit in Hanoi, Haiphong, Thai Nguyen, and Nghe An. Afterward, the final design was sent to the Soviet Union and they agreed to cooperate.

In September 2nd, 1973, the mausoleum was built in the center of Ba Dinh Square. The material and surroundings were taken from all regions in the country which shows the unification of Vietnamese. A wide variety of plants and flowers from different places were also transported and raised around the building. Outside of the country, the Soviet Union sent granite and marble to decorate the mausoleum. It is truly a great respect for the best leader of Vietnam in the last century.

In a nutshell, any Hanoi Tours would not be complete once missed the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. However, there must are many other sites that you might not hear before in this charming city, feel free to check out Hanoi Travel Guide for more!