Bach Dang Wharf – the place to save traces of Saigon’s history

Located in the city center, Bach Dang wharf has many historical vestiges of hundreds of years of Saigon development, which has been upgraded and embellished as a place for entertainment and entertainment.

After a year of repair, this morning the project to embellish Bach Dang wharf park, district 1, was inaugurated. The renovated work is about 1.6 hectares wide. In, there are 8,700 m2 of walkways, granite living ground and 7,000 m2 of green space, grass, lotus flower chain architecture throughout the park, creating an open space towards the Saigon River. The park also has an automatic watering and lighting system, which increases the efficiency of management and public service.

Panorama of Bach Dang wharf park after completion of the renovation. Photo: Quynh Tran

Bach Dang Wharf is about 1.3 km long, located on Ton Duc Thang Street facing the Saigon River, extending from Khanh Hoi Bridge to Ba Son factory. According to Southern cultural researcher Vuong Hong Sen, Bach Dang is associated with the history of defeating the Nguyen – Mong army three times, so it was named for the Saigon river wharf to commemorate the heroic feats of Dai Viet’s army and people.

From Khanh Hoi bridge to District 1, the first place at Bach Dang wharf is the Thu Ngu flagpole, built by the French in 1865. The building is 30 m high and hangs the flag to welcome ships entering and leaving Nha Rong port. The flagpole has the French name of Mât des Signals, built on the old foundation of the royal palace specializing in taking care of trade of the Nguyen Dynasty. Along with Nha Rong Wharf, more than 300 meters away, the flagpole is a massive and prominent work at the confluence of wild, tree-lined rivers at that time.

The endpoint of Bach Dang wharf is the Ba Son factory , formerly a naval workshop of the French. According to the old Saigon book by author Vuong Hong Sen, the origin of the two words “Ba Son” has many theories. In it, an opinion that “Ba Son” comes from the French name “Mare aux Poissons” (fish pond), because this place used to have a canal containing a lot of fish and shrimp.

Khu vực bến Bạch Đằng những năm 1920 khi còn có tên Le Myre de Vilers. Ảnh tư liệu

In the middle of the wharf, the outstanding statue of Tran Hung Dao is located at the semicircular Me Linh square, where 6 routes intersect: Ton Duc Thang, Thi Sach, Hai Ba Trung, Phan Van Dat, Ho Huan Nghiep and Ho Huan Nghiep. Ngo Duc Ke. During the French colonial period, this construction site was called Rigault de Genouilly – a French naval admiral who was the Governor of Cochinchina. The statue of the marine admiral was later placed here after his death.

In 1962, the statue of Hai Ba Trung, painted by architect Ngo Viet Thu and sculpted by Nguyen Van The, replaced the Rigault de Genouilly statue. The Statue of Hai Ba (as called by Southerners before 1975) is erected on a three-legged pedestal, in front of which is the head and trunk of an elephant, followed by two elephant legs, which is appreciated by the sculptors as unique and new.

Later, the Me Linh construction site was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam Navy, so its name was changed to Bach Dang. In 1967, the navy combined with the Saint Tran Association to organize a contest to sculpt the Tran Hung Dao statue instead of the Hai Ba Trung statue. The winning project is the debut work of Pham Thong – a recent graduate of the Saigon University of Fine Arts.

Statue of Saint Tran Hung Dao in Me Linh Park. Photo: Quynh Tran

Model Hung Dao Dai Vuong designed by Pham Thong is 6 m high, standing on a triangular platform nearly 10 m high, in martial arts uniform, one hand resting on the sword, the other hand pointing down the river, saying: “This if We did not destroy the Nguyen invaders, and we vowed never to return to this part of the river.” This heroic, indomitable image convinced the judging panel.

In addition to the above-mentioned special works, Bach Dang wharf also attracts ships coming in and out, many trees, famous restaurants… so people frequented, exercised, walked, and cycled on the sidewalk. This is also an ideal dating place for lovers. In the afternoon, couples make an appointment to go to restaurants along the riverbank to talk while watching the romantic Saigon River.

Also because of the beauty of the wharf, musician Y Van in the song “Saigon is so beautiful” has the sentence “Stopping on the wharf when the afternoon sun has not faded / From afar, thousands of shirts fluttering…”. Although no specific wharf is mentioned, many people think that it is Bach Dang wharf, which is considered the most beautiful and bustling river wharf in Saigon.

In the architectural management regulations just approved by the City People’s Committee, the area near Bach Dang wharf such as Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, Me Linh park, Ton Duc Thang street is expected to develop underground spaces to help people have space for walking, entertainment, shopping…

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Từ khoá: Bach Dang Wharf – the place to save traces of Saigon’s history