Ba Dinh Square - Hanoi City

Ba Đình Square is the heart of Hà Nội as this place has witnessed the events of local or national significance. This area was formerly the site of the West Gale of the ancient Hà Nội Citadel. At the beginning of French domination, the colonialists destroyed the citadel and built a flower garden in this place which they called Puginier Ring. In 1945, it was renamed Ba Đình garden to remind people of a region where a rebellion against the French colonialists broke out from September 1886 to January 1887 in Thanh Hoá province.

Ba Dinh Square - Hanoi City

On 2nd September 1945, half a million people from Hà Nội and the adjacent areas poured into this Square to participate in the Nation’s Independence Proclaiming Ceremony. A platform was set up in the middle of the Square. Four sides of the platform had the trapezium shape, covered with red cloth, in the middle of which were tucked four relief yellow stars.

Right at 2 p.m, all the members of the Provisional Government were present on the plat-form. After the flag-salutation ceremony, President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence. All the participants were eager to listen to their leader’s speech. Then came the swear-in ceremony of the Provisional Government.

in front of the Square (the west side) stands the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh

After that, Minister of Internal Affairs Võ Nguyên Giáp talked about the domestic situation and the Government’s policies; Minister of Propagation Trần Huy Liệu reported to the Government on how King Bảo Đại handed over the Royal seal and sword to the representatives of the new Government.

He showed the people these objects symbolizing the power of the Nguyễn Dynasty; Mr. Nguyễn Lương Bằng, representative of the Việt Minh headquarters, talked about the people’s struggle and called on all social strata to bring into full play their solidarity and further develop the revolution. Finally, the meeting was turned into a march of demonstration along the streets.

On the 9th September 1969, seven days after President Hồ Chí Minh passed away, the memorial service in honour of the President was solemnly held also in this Square. One hundred thousand compatriots from the Capital and other provinces together with 34 international delegations took part in the service.

Today, in front of the Square (the west side) stands the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh. The present Square is 320m in length and 100m in width enough for 200,000 people to gather. The Square is, in fact, composed of 168 small squares of evergreen grass. In the middle of the Square there is a flag pole 30m high.
The Ba Đình Square has become a sacred place in Hà Nội.

Hà Nội Past and Present Nguyen Vinh Phuc - The Gioi Publishers