Hotel de Ville de Cap Saint Jacques
The old Town Hall on Vung Tau island.
The former Hotel de Ville de Cap Saint Jacques (The Old Vung Tau Town Hall) aka The Viet Minh Headquarters, is located in the centre of Front Beach on Vung Tau island.
It is history rich and very accessible for visitors to Vung Tau who are interested in beautiful architecture and history.
It is from the French colonial era. From the days when Cap Saint Jacques was a French resort, and military base.
The tropical island was often used as a recuperative lay-over for ship travelers who had just endured four weeks at sea, before their last push up the winding Don Nai River to Saigon.
During the French colonial era the French military built around 15 forts on the islands. The mountains bristled with bunkers, cannons and mortars. The island was referred to as the Gibraltar of the East.
It is history rich and very accessible for visitors to Vung Tau who are interested in beautiful architecture and history.
It is from the French colonial era. From the days when Cap Saint Jacques was a French resort, and military base.
The tropical island was often used as a recuperative lay-over for ship travelers who had just endured four weeks at sea, before their last push up the winding Don Nai River to Saigon.
During the French colonial era the French military built around 15 forts on the islands. The mountains bristled with bunkers, cannons and mortars. The island was referred to as the Gibraltar of the East.
Cap saint jacques 1930 map shows Hotel de Ville
Publiés en 1930 (Itinéraires automobiles, collection du Touring Club, G. Norès Tomes I, II, III):
Symboles :
H : Hotel ; J : Palais de Justice ; L : Police ; M : Marché ; N : Res. Supérieure ; P : Maison des Passagers ; S : Gare Chemin de Fer; T : Poste ; V : Hotel de Ville ; F : Théatre ; D : Gouvert Général ; C : Caserne; B: Banque de l'Indochine; A : Hopital ou Ambulance; I : Garde Indigéne, G : Gendarmerie ; E : Eglise ; R : Bureau de la Résidence.
I have marked Hotel de Ville in purple on this map. Note that Front Beach was called Coconut Bay - much more romantic.
Symboles :
H : Hotel ; J : Palais de Justice ; L : Police ; M : Marché ; N : Res. Supérieure ; P : Maison des Passagers ; S : Gare Chemin de Fer; T : Poste ; V : Hotel de Ville ; F : Théatre ; D : Gouvert Général ; C : Caserne; B: Banque de l'Indochine; A : Hopital ou Ambulance; I : Garde Indigéne, G : Gendarmerie ; E : Eglise ; R : Bureau de la Résidence.
I have marked Hotel de Ville in purple on this map. Note that Front Beach was called Coconut Bay - much more romantic.
The above map is from a collection of maps showing car touring routes as supplied by the Touring Club - 1930. This invaluable map was supplied by http://belleindochine.free.fr/images/Plan/1931/CapStJacques.JPG
hotel lerie = the hotel
caserne = barracks
Eglise = church (I was told this was a 1950s church- however this map is 1930s.) Saint Paul’s by the Sea.
hotel lerie = the hotel
caserne = barracks
Eglise = church (I was told this was a 1950s church- however this map is 1930s.) Saint Paul’s by the Sea.
The Refurbishment of Hotel de Ville de cap saint jacques
Near the end of 2016 refurbishment of the Viet Minh Headquarters started. The idea was to take it back to its former glory. This meant upgrading the extensive gardens around the building and also removing some of the more recent attachments.
The renovations - the early stages
The first phase of the renovations was to demolish any fixture that was not 'period'.
While this was happening outside, the inside of the building was gutted. All of the louvered window shutters were removed. Plus the old roof tiles were also removed.
Work on the garden was started immediately.
While this was happening outside, the inside of the building was gutted. All of the louvered window shutters were removed. Plus the old roof tiles were also removed.
Work on the garden was started immediately.
A one hundred year old bunker was uncovered during the early stages of the renovations.
To find out more about this exciting discovery, and go INSIDE the bunker, watch the video below.
NOT NOW since ##!!## youtube closed my channel!!!
To find out more about this exciting discovery, and go INSIDE the bunker, watch the video below.
NOT NOW since ##!!## youtube closed my channel!!!
The Renovations - nearing completion
VIETNAM HISTORY and CULTURE
and OTHER GOOD STUFF
Posted by Paul Rowe 4/ 2016, Vung Tau Island, Vietnam.
and OTHER GOOD STUFF
Posted by Paul Rowe 4/ 2016, Vung Tau Island, Vietnam.