Thousands of people from across the country come to pay their respects at Hồ Chí Minh's mausoleum on the 132th anniversary of his birthday. VNS Photo Bảo Ngọc

Bảo Ngọc

Thanks to its enormous historical significance, Hồ Chí Minh's Mausoleum has long been the starting point for first-time visitors to Hà Nội to begin their exploration of the city. The late, great President Hồ led Việt Nam to independence and is a well-known figure across the world. 

Since the beginning of May, thousands of international visitors, diplomatic delegations, and Vietnamese people from across the country have visited the monument to pay their respects on the 132nd anniversary of his birth (19/5/1890-19/5/2022), according to the mausoleum's administration board.

Nguyễn Tú Linh, a 32-year-old resident of Hà Nội's Hai Bà Trưng District, said that he visits the mausoleum annually on Uncle Hồ's birthday to pay respects and express his gratitude.

"I believe that President Hồ Chí Minh holds a particular place in the hearts of not only people of the preceding era, but also younger generations. Today, the Vietnamese people who were born and raised when the country was at peace also love and respect him for fighting for national independence," Linh said. 

For Nguyễn Thanh Hằng, a local of Hà Nội's Nam Từ Liêm district, visiting Hồ Chí Minh's mausoleum is an excellent way to understand more about the nation's past.

"The pilgrimage to visit Uncle Hồ's mausoleum left me with a lot of emotions. Not only have I gained a better understanding of his life and the history of the country, but I've also grown to appreciate how peaceful things are now," she said.

The Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Complex is one of Việt Nam's most historically significant tourist destinations. There, visitors can learn countless facts about Uncle Hồ's career as well as the Vietnamese independence movement he led.

It was constructed on September 2, 1973, in the centre of Ba Đình Square where Hồ Chí Minh presided over massive rallies and read the proclamation of independence of Việt Nam. 

Part of what makes this monument stand out is that its materials were from many regions of Việt Nam. In order to demonstrate the respect of the entire nation for President Hồ, each province agreed to contribute one signature material to the construction of the mausoleum.

This action not only demonstrates the country's affection for him but also Việt Nam's national cohesion.

According to the Hà Nội Department of Tourism, during the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), numerous tours to the Hồ Chí Minh mausoleum have been organised by local travel agencies to assist tourists. Notable among them are the Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum - Hồ Chí Minh Museum - Temple of Literature - Hoàn Kiếm Lake half-day city tour.

These efforts are aimed at promoting Hà Nội as a tourist-friendly destination with a rich history for visitors from across the world. VNS