Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh
The resting place of Ho Chi Minh, Father of the Nation. Together with the Presidential Palace, the stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, it forms the political and historical heart of Ba Dinh. The mausoleum itself is free to visit.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum stands on the west side of Ba Dinh Square. Completed in 1975, its grey granite building follows the style of Lenin's Mausoleum. On 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam's Declaration of Independence on this square. Visit flow: after security screening at the Ngọc Hà Street entrance, queue and walk slowly through the mausoleum to view the body. Stopping, photography, hands in pockets, and hats are not allowed; remove your hat. The whole process takes about 15 minutes. Afterward, enter the Presidential Palace grounds (admission 40,000 dong). Here you can see the yellow French-style Presidential Palace exterior (not open to the public), the stilt house where Ho lived from 1958 to 1969, a lotus pond, and the car he used in his lifetime. Next to the grounds stand the One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 and shaped like a lotus rising from water (free), and the Ho Chi Minh Museum (40,000 dong; closed on Monday and Friday afternoons). A 10-minute walk leads to the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (admission 30,000 dong), which features Đoan Môn Gate, the foundations of Kính Thiên Palace, and the D67 wartime command bunker tunnels. Opening hours: the mausoleum is open 07:30 to 10:30 from April to October and 08:00 to 11:00 from November to March, and it is closed Monday and Friday. Flag-raising takes place daily at 06:00 in summer or 06:30 in winter, and flag-lowering at 21:00. Getting there: about 10 minutes by Grab from the Old Quarter, or take bus 9 or 22. Note: Clothing must cover the knees and shoulders. Large bags and cameras are not allowed inside, but you can leave them in lockers. Arriving before 8 a.m. means shorter queues, while weekends and public holidays bring very long lines. Do not step onto the lawn of the square.
Opening hours
07:30–10:30 (Nov–Mar 08:00–11:00); closed Mon and Fri
Nearby sights
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum
- Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long
- Quán Thánh Temple
- Temple of Literature
- Trấn Quốc Pagoda
- Đồng Xuân Market
- Hanoi Old Quarter