Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City

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Also known as the Saigon Opera House, this wonderful example of French colonial architecture lies in the heart of the city's District 1 area, surrounded by new shopping plazas and posh hotels. Built in 1897 by French architect Ferret Eugene, the 800 seat building was used as the home of the Lower House assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. It was not until 1975 that it was again used as a theatre, and restored in 1998 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon.

Constructed in 1897 to the original design by French architect Eugene Ferret. The building underwent considerable internal modifications after the French withdrawal from South Vietnam in accordance with the 1956 Geneva Agreement when the Ngo Dinh Diem government turned the Opera House into the headquarters of the Lower House.

The building regained its original function after reunification in 1975 and today provides 559 seats for orchestral concerts, opera, theatre and ballet. The air-conditioned Opera House boasts state-of-the-art sound and lighting with four dressing rooms and additional areas catering for about 100 performers.

Highlands Coffee is directly behind the Opera House in Lam Son Square.

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On your daily tour in HCMC, if you start from Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral and moving to City Hall, Opera House will be your stop in the middle. It is located at the start of the famous Le Loi Avenue and its elegant architecture will attract you.

The Opera House is naother French colonial building in Ho Chi Minh, it's three floors high and can seat 1800 people... although it was built as an opera house, it didn't stay that way all the time. In 1955 it became a shelter for refugees, South Vietnam's National Assembly building and today, after some restoration works, functions as a theatre... with a bit of everything: plays, concerts, ballet, opera, and even Vietnamese traditional dances.

Today, it seems, it's most famous as a meeting place, especially at night... if you stroll nearby you'll see many local youths hanging about, meeting up with friends, chatting the night away... and more basically people-watching.

I was so tempted to walk in as they were having a concert within the building. Chose not to in case I get shot at...Kidding!

Historical building built by the French in the 1900s. It fortunate that the picture came out clear as I took it without a tripod nor flash. This means that I really have to keep my hands real still. Oh boy!

Built by the French at the end of the 19th Century and renovated in the 1940's this is a fine example of colonial architecture. It is no longer used for operas but for occasional performances of vietnamese music. It is a central landmark in the city.

The National Theatre (also called Opera House) was built in 1900 to cater for the cultural cravings of the French colonialists. Today, it still caters for cultural buffs, and is another fine example of beautiful French architecture.

This building is beside the Continental Hotel, and right in front of Caravelle. It is one of those many buildings in HCMC that reflect its colonial past with its architecture.

We took this photo across the street. In this picture, you'll see cars and motorbikes (modern mode of transport), and yet catch a glimpse of old Vietnam (the old lady wearing a traditional conical hat, peddling coconuts on the street).

Built by the French at the end of the nineteenth century and renovated in the 1940s, this fine example of colonial architecture is a landmark in the centre of Saigon. It is no longer used for European opera, but there are occasional performances of Vietnamese music.

This magnificent building was built at the turn of the century and renovated in the 1940s. Three stories and 1,800 seats are inside. Today it does very little in terms of performances, but it is a stalwart atmospheric holdout amid steel and glass downtown.