Bạch Đằng Quay
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Bạch Đằng Quay () is a
wharf A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...
and
park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
with an address No.2
Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard () is a thoroughfare in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, District 1, downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The boulevard stretches from Lê Duẩn Boulevard to the north end of the Khánh Hội Bridge, with more than half ...
, Bến Nghé in District 1, downtown
Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
,
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. It stretches along about of the
Saigon River The Saigon River () is a river located in southern Vietnam that rises near Phum Daung in southeastern Cambodia, flows south and southeast for about and empties into the Nhà Bè River, which in its turn empties into the South China Sea some no ...
from the Thủ Ngữ flagpole to the site of the former Ba Son Shipyard (now the Saigon – Ba Son complex) and covers an area of .


History

According to scholar Pétrus Ký, the waterfront area at the end of
rue Catinat ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of the genus '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Mediterranean. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially fo ...
was once called ''Bến Ngự'' (translating to "royal wharf"), the royal landing stage. He also revealed that it was known in Khmer as Compong-luong, which suggests that its history may date back to the 17th century, when Saigon was still the Cambodian settlement of Prey Nokor. During the early years of French colonial rule, the Mercantile port of Saigon continued to use wharves immediately north of the arroyo Chinois extending as far as the Rond-point (modern-day Mê Linh Square). However, in 1881, these wharves were transformed into the River port and were entrusted to the management of the Compagnies des Messageries fluviales (the River Shipping Company), the replacement mercantile port was constructed in Khánh Hội (modern-day
District 4 District 4 can refer to: * District 4, Düsseldorf, in Germany * District 4, Grand Bassa County, in Liberia * District 4 (Ho Chi Minh City), in Vietnam * District 4 (New York City Council), in the United States * IV District, Turku, in Finland *Aus ...
). This quayside area had its name changed quite often throughout the French colonial period. Initially quai de Donnai, the name was successively changed to quai Napoléon (1865), quai du Commerce (1870), quai Francis Garnier (1896) and finally quai le Myre de Vilers (1920). On 11 August 1890, the Lieutenant-Governor of Cochinchina authorized the installation of a
tramway track Tramway track is used on tramways or light rail operations. As with standard rail tracks, tram tracks have two parallel steel rails, the distance between the heads of the rails being the track gauge. When there is no need for pedestrians or ...
along the quay. Additionally, the quayside north of the River port and the Rond-point was used as the Naval port (Port de la marine) and controlled by the French Navy (Marine nationale française). This quay, initially called quai Primauguet and then changed to quai d'Argonne in 1920, housed the Naval Commander’s headquarters (Hôtel du Commandant de la Marine), the Naval Artillery (Artillerie de Marine) and the Naval Barracks (Caserne de la Marine, later Caserne Francis-Garnier). The
Saigon Naval Shipyard Saigon Naval Shipyard is a former French Navy, Republic of Vietnam Navy (RVNN) and Vietnam People's Navy (VPN) base in Saigon Vietnam. The base, located on the southwest bank of the Saigon River about from the South China Sea, represented the ...
is located immediately north of the quay and stretches as far as the mouth of the arroyo de l’Avalanche. After the departure of the French, the River port was taken over by the Saigon Port Authority (Nha Thương cảng Sài Gòn). Meanwhile, the Naval port was managed first by the
Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with it ...
and later by the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
Ministries of Defence. Both quai le Myre de Vilers and quai d'Argonne were given a single Vietnamese name, Bến Bạch Đằng, by the
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
ese government in 1955. The colonial naval barracks and artillery buildings continued to be used by naval personnel until the 1990s, but since that time the old artillery compound has been demolished to redevelop new hotels and office blocks. The former Caserne Francis Garnier barracks, now located at 1A
Tôn Đức Thắng Tôn Đức Thắng (; 20 August 1888 – 30 March 1980) was the second President of Vietnam under the leadership of General Secretary Lê Duẩn. The position of president is ceremonial and Tôn was never a major policymaker or even a member of ...
, is the only surviving operational naval installation in this area. In 2015, the government of Ho Chi Minh City decided to close the River port at Bach Dang Quay to renovate the wharf and park. In the same year, the Naval port was also closed following the relocation of the Ba Son Shipyard to
Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu (abbreviated BRVT) was formerly a province of Vietnam. It was located on the coast of the country's Southeast region. It bordered Đồng Nai to the north, Bình Thuận to the northeast and Ho Chi Minh City metropolit ...
. The renovation of the area was eventually carried out in 2021 and completed in 2022, which gave the park its current appearance with the grass areas and walkways forming the shape of
lotus flowers ''Nelumbo nucifera'', also known as the pink lotus, sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more oft ...
. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation, by the end of 2022, the only inland waterway transport services being operated at Bach Dang Quay are the
Saigon Waterbus The Saigon Waterbus (Vietnamese: ''Buýt đường sông Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh'') is a transportation service in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam operating on the Saigon River. Launched in November 2017, the Waterbus offers services between Distric ...
and the
hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...
service to
Vũng Tàu Vũng Tàu (''Hanoi accent:'' , ''Saigon accent:'' ) is an important port city in southern Vietnam. It serves as the maritime port of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Vũng Tàu covers of area and consists of 16 urban wards and on ...
. File:Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867. Wellcome L0056137.jpg, View of the quay in 1867 File:Saïgon - Vue panoramique des Quais et la Rivière de Saïgon.jpg, View of the quay in early 20th century File:NH 79671 Saigon, South Vietnam.jpg, View of the Navy port in 1956 File:Saigon Floating Hotel 1991.jpg, Saigon Floating Hotel near Tran Hung Dao statue in 1991 File:Vietnam - panoramio (232).jpg, Floating restaurants at Bach Dang Quay in 2015 File:Cột cờ Thủ Ngữ.JPG, Thủ Ngữ flagpole, behind is the ventilation tower of Thủ Thiêm Tunnel File:Me Linh Square, HCMC.jpg, Statue of Saint Trần Hưng Đạo at Mê Linh square in 2012 File:Bach Dang Station - Sai Gon Water Bus.jpg,
Saigon Waterbus The Saigon Waterbus (Vietnamese: ''Buýt đường sông Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh'') is a transportation service in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam operating on the Saigon River. Launched in November 2017, the Waterbus offers services between Distric ...
, Bạch Đằng station File:Ton Duc Thang quan 1 tphcmvn - panoramio.jpg, Tôn Đức Thắng Street in 2013 File:Ton Duc Thang street- Ben Bach Dang saigon-Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam - panoramio.jpg, Tôn Đức Thắng Street in 2015


See also

* Mê Linh Square *
Saigon Naval Shipyard Saigon Naval Shipyard is a former French Navy, Republic of Vietnam Navy (RVNN) and Vietnam People's Navy (VPN) base in Saigon Vietnam. The base, located on the southwest bank of the Saigon River about from the South China Sea, represented the ...
*
Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard () is a thoroughfare in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, District 1, downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The boulevard stretches from Lê Duẩn Boulevard to the north end of the Khánh Hội Bridge, with more than half ...


References


External links

* {{Commonscat-inline, Bach Dang Quay Parks in Ho Chi Minh City Saigon River Wharves