There is a place in Hanoi that can be compared to Red Square in Moscow in terms of its popularity among the main attractions of the city. This is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, located in the center of Ba Đình Square of the Vietnamese capital.

This man is known for the fact that in the middle of the last century, he led an active struggle against the invaders and colonizers. Finally, he managed to achieve the independence of Vietnam (at that time – the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and became its first president. Since then, the socio-political life of this state has been based on the Communist ideas of Ho Chi Minh, which were formed according to the views of Marx and Lenin.

Ho Chi Minh ruled Vietnam until his death in 1969. And although the politician wanted to be cremated and the ashes to be divided between three urns that would be buried in the north, south, and center of the country, his last will was never fulfilled. The Vietnamese Government decided to embalm the body of the president and build an entire mausoleum for him in the heart of Hanoi, where the country's independence was declared.

Its construction began in 1973 and lasted almost 3 years. The main architect of it was Harold Isakovich from the USSR, who took part in the development of the Lenin Memorial project. As a result, the Vietnamese liked the work of the Soviet master so much that later he was asked to create the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Cultural Friendship Palace in Hanoi.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum turned out to be square-shaped. It stands on an impressive platform, like on a throne, and a small stepped podium leads to its entrance. The entrance to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is protected by a guard of honor, that resembles the guards infantry at Buckingham Palace in London. Inside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, visitors can see a stone staircase that leads to the second floor directly to the body of the former leader of the country.

After visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, take time to explore other attractions in the central Ba Đình Square: the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Stilt House where the first president used to live, and the One Pillar Pagoda.