Reunification Palace

I hadn't read much about Ho Chi Minh city before arriving. On our first morning in town we leafed through a brochure over breakfast and made an impulse decision to visit "Reunification Palace" - the seat of the former South Vietnamese government designed by the renowned Vietnamese architect Ngo Thiet Vu. The palace was completed in 1966, and used until April 1975 when North Vietnamese T-54 tanks crashed through the gates, signifying the end of the Vietnam War (and the South Vietnamese regime). The palace has largely been preserved in tact since that day. The time capsule opulence and kitschiness of the decor, the utilitarian but arresting clean lines of the modernist architecture, and the dramatic historical events which unfolded here all combine to make this one of the most intriguing buildings i've ever visited. If you happen to find yourself in Ho Chi Minh City, and you're interested in architecture, interior design or history, I thoroughly recommend a visit.