Have you been to Vung Tau? But you have not visited Bạch Dinh! That’s a pity! Surely one of us has heard of the name “Bạch Dinh” in Vung Tau. This is a place that attracts a lot of tourists because of its ancient and impressive historical background. If you do not have any information about Bach Dinh, please refer to this article.
Unique history
Bach Dinh (French name: Villa Blanche, meaning “White Villa”) is a unique European-style villa built from 1898 to 1902 by French architect – Gustave Eiffel. It was used as a resting place for the Governor-General of Indochina, King Thanh Thai, Emperor Bao Dai, and the Presidents of Vietnam.
Bạch Dinh was originally built as a summer retreat for Governor-General of Indochina Paul Doumer and other high-ranking French officials. However, after Governor-General Doumer was assassinated in 1905, the villa was transferred to the French colonial government. Bach Dinh also witnessed many big events of each era:
- The feudal period: In 1907, King Thanh Thai was placed under house arrest at Bach Dinh for ten years by the French colonial government. They were afraid that he would continue to engage in anti-French activities. He was imprisoned until his death in 1916.
- The Republic of Vietnam period: Bạch Dinh became the resting place for the presidents of the Republic of Vietnam, and President Ngo Dinh Diem was the first guest to use it.
- Today: After 90 years, it is honored that Bach Dinh was officially recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on August 4, 1992
Elegant beauty
For a long time, Bạch Dinh has attracted tourists by the white building with 3 floors built in an ancient and elegant style. The mansion is designed with an area of about 2,500 square meters, a length of about 25 meters and a height of about 19 meters, making the space airy and not too stuffy for visitors.
Bạch Dinh is decorated with wooden furniture and arched roofs and arched windows that are directly facing the sea – a unique and classic feature of European villas. On the walls, it is decorated with statues of Greek women, or winding carp, … Besides that, Bạch Dinh also has other unique features such as:
- Marble spiral staircase
- The ceiling is decorated with oil paintings of nature, historical characters,…
- The statue of the Virgin Mary is located on the second floor
The mansion also has a “heavenly time, geographical location” position when the back is the mountain, and the front is the sea, so when you come to you can pose and selfie with both the sea and the mountain.
While Bạch Dinh was designed in the European style, every small detail inside the mansion is full of Vietnamese style from the past, from interior to decoration. Therefore, Bạch Dinh has its own deep cultural and historical value, making it a “must-go” tourist destination when visitors visit Vung tau
