The
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Area
In
the centre of Hanoi, a large area is devoted to Ho Chi Minh.
The centrepiece is a large mausoleum where his embalmed
body lies in a bier inside a glass case. Visitors must join
a queue and file through the room without stopping. No photography
is allowed, and all personal possessions must be left outside
(provision is made for this).
It’s a macabre experience, but most visitors foreign seem
to find strangely moving, perhaps due to the undisguised
reverence of the Vietnamese people present.
The building was erected with assistance from the USSR,
and is a good example of Soviet architecture of the period.
It’s guarded by an honour guard of Vietnamese soldiers in
immaculate white dress uniforms who march around the building
at regular intervals.
It is open from 08.00 to 11.00 from Tuesday to Thursday,
and over the weekends
In fact, Uncle Ho, as he is affectionately known in Vietnam,
left directions for his cremation in his will. However,
at the time of his death in 1969, the year after the Tet
Offensive, the war was still raging and morale was low.
Communist Party chiefs recognised his iconic status and
overrode his wishes, probably a pragmatically wise decision,
but ethically reprehensive.
The embalming process was undertaken by Russian experts
– each year in early autumn, his body is flown to Moscow
for three months for maintenance.
The
grandeur of the mausoleum is a strange contrast to the simple
stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Built in
the style of ethnic minority dwellings, it overlooks a large
carp pond and is a calm sanctuary. Visitors can look through
the windows to see the austere furnishings and his few personal
possessions. On his desk each day is a vase of his favourite
blossoms, hoa hue trang, a sweetly scented flower rather
like a tall white bluebell.
Nearby is the magnificent Presidential Palace, once the
palace of the Governor-General of Indochina during the colonial
period. Unfortunately, it’s not open to the public.
In the opposite direction, the Ho Chi Minh Museum provides
a comprehensive overview of the man’s life and work and
his vision of peace and happiness. It’s informative, but
understandably overlooks some of the more risqué episodes
in his life. Close by, the famous One Pillar Pagoda is worth
a passing look. Although it’s one of the symbols of Hanoi,
it’s something of a disappointment as it’s a modern replica.
The Ho Chi Minh Museum is open from 08.00 to 11.00 and from
13.30 to 16.30 daily.
A short walk across Da Dinh Square directly in front of
the mausoleum takes you past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,
a stunningly beautiful monument especially when illuminated
at night. From there, another short walk takes you to the
Hanoi Citadel.
The site of the ancient Hanoi Citadel has been occupied
by the Army for many years. It is now beginning to be turned
over to the Hanoi City authorities in stages. So far, a
couple of impressive pagodas have been restored and made
accessible. Not far away, a major excavation on the site
of what will be the new National Assembly building has revealed
the remains of a substantial palace complex dating from
the Ly Dynasty that ruled about a millennium ago. The findings
have transformed knowledge about the early history of Vietnam
and its links to China.
It has recently been announced that the Army will soon hand
over the remains of the Citadel’s Forbidden City to the
Hanoi’s People’s Committee. After restoration work, this
too will be open to visitors.
