Hàm Nghi Boulevard

Hàm Nghi Boulevard
Ham Nghi Boulevard in 2014
Interactive map of Hàm Nghi Boulevard
Native nameĐường Hàm Nghi, Đại lộ Hàm Nghi (Vietnamese)
Former name(s)Boulevard de Canton, Boulevard de la Somme
NamesakeEmperor Hàm Nghi
OwnerHo Chi Minh City
Length800 m (2,600 ft)
LocationDistrict 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Nearest metro station
Coordinates10°46′15″N 106°42′11″E / 10.770963°N 106.703008°E / 10.770963; 106.703008
East endTôn Đức Thắng Boulevard
Major
junctions
Hồ Tùng Mậu Street
Tôn Thất Đạm Street
Pasteur Street
Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street
Phó Đức Chính Street
West endQuách Thị Trang Square

Hàm Nghi Boulevard (Vietnamese: Đường Hàm Nghi) is an east–west boulevard in District 1, downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.[1] The boulevard stretches from Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard (Bạch Đằng Quay, Saigon River waterfront) to the Quách Thị Trang Square (in front of the Bến Thành Market).[2]

History

The boulevard was originally a waterway known in Vietnamese as rạch Cầu Sấu (translating to "Crocodile Bridge creek"). According to scholar Pétrus Ký, the creek got its name as there was once a crocodile reservoir in the area, where crocodiles were bred for meat.[3]

Following the French conquest of Saigon, the streets on both sides of the creek were first designated by n° 3, then they were given the names rue Dayot and rue de Canton, respectively. The waterway was later filled in and then by a decree dated 14 May 1877, the two streets were given a single name: boulevard de Canton. In the 1880s, the Saigon–My Tho railway line was built along the center of the boulevard. On 24 February 1897, the municipal council decided to split the boulevard into two separate streets on either side of the railway track, each named after a French admiral: rue Krantz on the northern side and rue Duperré on the southern side. Then again on 22 April 1920, after the relocation of the railway terminus to the area occupied today by September 23 Park, the municipal council decided to resume the name "boulevard" for the streets, and the name boulevard de la Somme was chosen, after the Battle of the Somme, one of the First World War's deadliest battles.[4][5][6]

In 1955, the boulevard was renamed Hàm Nghi Boulevard by the government South Vietnam, after the former Emperor Hàm Nghi of the Nguyễn dynasty.[7][8]

Notable buildings

Hàm Nghi Boulevard is one of the most expensive streets of Ho Chi Minh City with those notable buildings

Address Name Image Primary tenants, users and notes
1–3 Hàm Nghi Blvd IFC One Saigon

Under construction, another address is 34A Tôn Đức Thắng Blvd. Originally invested by Saigon M&C Real Estate Company, a joint venture between Saigontourist and DongA Bank (now is Vikki Bank of HDBank) and named after the company, then changed as Saigon One Tower until VivaLand, a company related to Trương Mỹ Lan, has bought it and changed the façade of the building in 2022.
2 Hàm Nghi Blvd Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department The new 21-story building was built in 2018
32 Hàm Nghi Blvd BIDV Hàm Nghi Branch Previously was place of Franco-Chinese Bank then Mekong Housing Bank until it was merged into Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam
37–39 Hàm Nghi Blvd Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking Previously was the first place of Embassy of the United States, Saigon
79–79A Hàm Nghi VietinBank Ho Chi Minh City Branch Previously place of Credit Commercial Bank of Vietnam in Republic Of Vietnam period
81–83–83B–85 Hàm Nghi Blvd Doji Tower Invested and inaugurated by Fideco Real Estate Developer in 2008. Its former names are: Fideco Tower, Continental Tower, Ruby Tower and Hanwha Life Building
93–95 Hàm Nghi Blvd VietinBank Tower Also known as VietinBank Tower Saigon to distinguish with the VietinBank Business Center Office Tower in Hanoi, which also colloquially known as VietinBank Tower. Place of Ho Chi Minh City Branch 1 of the ban
2 Hải Triều Street Bitexco Financial Tower The building is at the intersection of Hải Triều, Hàm Nghi and Hồ Tùng Mậu street. It was the tallest building in Vietnam until 2011
122–124–126–128 Hàm Nghi Blvd Cao Thắng Technical College Location of the Building F of the college, the main entrance is on 65 Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Street
132 Hàm Nghi Blvd Havanna Tower Also known as Havana Tower
136 Hàm Nghi Blvd Saigon Railway Transport JSC Headquarter

References

  1. ^ "Map of Ho Chi Minh City". HCM CityWeb. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  2. ^ Bao Anh; Duc Phu (July 19, 2022). "Ho Chi Minh City plans expansion of downtown pedestrian streets". Tuoi Tre News. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Trương, Jean Baptiste Pétrus Vĩnh Ký (1885). Souvenirs historiques sur Saïgon et ses environs: conférence faite au collège des interprètes. Saigon: Imprimerie coloniale. p. 18. Archived from the original on 2022-07-09. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  4. ^ Baudrit, André (1943). Guide historique des rues de Saigon. Saigon: S.I.L.I. p. 418. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  5. ^ Doling, Tim (7 December 2015). "Saigon's Famous Streets and Squares: Ham Nghi Boulevard, Part 1". Saigoneer. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  6. ^ Doling, Tim (8 December 2015). "Saigon's Famous Streets and Squares: Ham Nghi Boulevard, Part 2". Saigoneer. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  7. ^ Corfield, Justin (2014). Historical Dictionary of Ho Chi Minh City. Anthem Press. p. 360. Archived from the original on 2023-10-22. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  8. ^ Guillaume, Xavier; Guillaume, Marie-Christine (2004). La Terre du Dragon – Tome I. Paris: Publibook. p. 58. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-10-30.


See also