Tim Doling in Saigon
A Brief History of Saigon's Art Deco Eye Hospital, Formerly the Clinique Saint-Paul
For those condemned to a long daily commute along that busiest of city arteries, Điện Biên Phủ Street, the clean, elegant lines of the Hồ Chí Minh City Eye Hospital offer a refreshing contrast to the surrounding urban clutter. The compound was formerly known as Clinique Saint-Paul, so many older Saigoneers still refer to it by the name Bệnh viện Xanh-Pôn.
Tuyết Nhi in Saigon
Exploring Chợ Quán Asylum, Saigon’s Oldest Prisoner-of-War Camp
In a secluded corner of Saigon’s Bệnh viện Nhiệt đới, or Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a prison continues its century-long existence hidden from public memory and discourse.
An Early View of a Barely Developed Saigon in the 1860s
Dropping a modern Saigoneer into the 1860s version of the city would be a wildly disorienting experience.
Vietnam's 1969 Street Fashion Story as Told Through Honda Cubs
The very definition of cool was established decades ago in Vietnam, and it was badass women in áo dài dashing on the street in slick sunglasses.
From D4's Village Past to Now, History Keeps Wanting to Widen Nguyễn Tất Thành Street
A century before today's bulldozers, colonial planners were already wrestling with the same congested waterfront corridor — and the same promises of transformation.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
Vietnam Sound Library Races to Capture Saigon's Sounds Before They Disappear
Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! The vendor’s cleaver struck the heavy wooden chopping board again and again after slicing through duck meat. Centimeters away, a microphone hovered, capturing each strike.
Vua Versus Volcano: How the 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa Upset the Nguyễn Dynasty
On September 9, 1883, ominous smoke hung over Huế. The sun was blue-green, and throughout the day, people on the streets had no shadows. As their legitimacy relied on maintaining the Mandate of Heaven, the Nguyễn royal court was alarmed. Three high-ranking mandarins rushed to advise the Emperor to change his ways to regain Heaven’s favor. While this strange incident can be easily dismissed as another case of outdated superstitions, a closer look reveals it as a rare conjunction of astrology, power, and — given the source of the smoke — volcanism, all set against the backdrop of France’s rapid incursion into Vietnam.
1992 Vietnam Through the Lens of French Photographer Raymond Depardon
After his Saigon trip in 1972 , famed French photographer Raymond Depardon returned in 1992 to traverse the length of Viet...
[Photos] A Black-and-White Look at Hoi An From 1930 to 1950
It appears that flooding in Hoi An is a common phenomenon that dates back to at least the 1930s.
[Photos] Same as It Never Was: Saigon in 1968
Pedestrians dodging traffic on colorful streets, squatting vendors tending baskets stuffed with fresh fruits and sunlight splashing lethargic afternoons along the vier – these photos from 1968 co...
[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi From 1873-1936
How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?
[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi in 1873-1936
How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?
[Photos] Take a Day Trip to Vung Tau Half a Century Ago
For some residents from Saigon and other southern provinces, Vung Tau has always been a sleepy tourist town that’s perfect for a weekend away, but not much else. However, if these photos of the town i...
[Photos] A Stroll Around 1969-1970 Saigon
Take a stroll through Saigon in 1969-1970 thanks to these black and white photos.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Date With the Wrecking Ball: The Former Secretariat du Gouvernement Building, 59-61 Ly Tu Trong
The project to build a new City Administration Centre behind the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee involves the destruction of several heritage buildings. The art deco office and apartment block at ...
[Photos] Life on Saigon Streets in 1971 Through the Lens of an American Soldier
If you were born when these photos were taken, you would be 47 years old now.
[Photos] Sri Thendayuthapani Temple: The Architectural Footprint of Tamils in Downtown D1
Saigon used to be home to a modest but vibrant Indian diaspora. Despite being an integral part of the city, their history often went off the records.
[Photos] A Day in the Life of Saigon's Apartment Dwellers
When I arrived here ten years ago, I lived in the Eden Building, until it was destroyed to put in yet another shopping mall. Escalators and lifts in this mall are at a standstill. The corridors are no...
[Photos] A Study of Saigon's 1970 Street Style
You might never be as cool as the ladies on Saigon's streets in 1970.
[Photos] The City That Never Sits Still: Traffic in 1965 Saigon
Half a century ago, Saigon was home to many familiar sights as well as some surprising interlopers from across time and space.
[Photos] A Glimpse Into Life in Vung Tau in 1967
Today, Vung Tau is a bustling tourist spot for Saigoneers looking to get out of the city and enjoy some ocean waves, but these photos from 1967 reveal its past as a working port.
[Photos] Walk Down the Streets of Saigon in 1969
How often are we treated to the spectacle that is 1969 Saigon and Vietnam from above?
[Photos] Snapshots of Downtown Saigon During the Mid-1960s
For the past 30 years, the country’s economic changes have placed Saigon at the epicenter of rapid urbanization and modernization, with endless development projects.
[Photos] 21 Snapshots of Downtown Saigon in 1967
As time goes by, our memories of past eras slowly lose their linear structures but instead come in snippets when chancing upon old memorabilia; an old ticket stub may bring back snapshots of nigh...
[Video] Take a Stroll on Hanoi Streets in 1974
Thanks to an influx of tourists, video montages and photo collections of Saigon from previous decades are not hard to come by, but visual recordings of Hanoi are few and far between.
[Photos] Immerse in the Nostalgia of Tet Past With These Black-and-White Snapshots
While schoolchildren and some food vendors are still enjoying the rest of Tet holiday, vacation is officially over for the majority of Vietnam’s office workers. On the first day of work after Tet, let...
[Video] Rare Footage Documents How Vietnam Celebrated Tet in 1950
In less than two weeks, the Year of the Rooster will be over, making way for the reign of the Dog in the lunar calendar.
[Photos] A Look Into the Life of Duy Tan, Vietnam's Child Emperor
Vietnam’s child emperor, Duy Tan, ascended to the throne at age 8 with all the pomp and ceremony the title involves.
