Welcome to Hanoi, where you can explore the remarkable grounds of the Presidential Palace of Vietnam. Originally constructed between 1900 and 1906 as the Palace of the Governor-General of Indochina, this striking yellow structure was designed by architect Charles Lichtenfelder. The grand building is pointedly European in style, incorporating classic Italian Renaissance elements such as classical columns, broken pediments, quoins, aedicules, and a formal piano nobile accessed via a grand staircase.
The only visual cues revealing its Southeast Asian location are the lush mango trees growing on the grounds. Standing behind wrought iron gates flanked by sentry boxes, the palace currently serves as the official residence of the president of Vietnam and a venue for state ceremonial activities and government meetings. Notably, when Vietnam achieved independence in 1954, Ho Chi Minh refused to live inside the opulent main palace for symbolic reasons.
Instead, he hosted state guests there while building a traditional Vietnamese stilt house and a carp pond elsewhere on the property, which became the Presidential Palace Historical Site in 1975. While you cannot enter the main palace itself, paying a fee allows you to walk through the historic grounds and appreciate its intriguing history and architectural grandeur near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
What to see at Presidential Palace of Vietnam
- Striking yellow French colonial building featuring Italian Renaissance architecture
- Lush grounds filled with native mango trees, a carp pond, and a stilt house
- Historic site where Ho Chi Minh received official state guests after 1954
- Wrought iron gates flanked by classic sentry boxes at the presidential residence
- Location of the 2019 summit meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un
Visiting tips
Remember that while the main palace building itself is not open to the public, you can walk around the historic grounds for a fee.
How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime
How to get there & what’s nearby
Presidential Palace of Vietnam is easy to reach on Hanoi’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Temple of Literature. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Hanoi travel guide.
See the full Hanoi travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.