Preserving the old-world charm of Binh Tay Market.

On the morning of November 15th, the renovated Binh Tay Market, a city-level architectural and artistic heritage site nearly 100 years old and a bustling trading hub of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City, was inaugurated after a long period of intensive construction with a total cost of 104 billion VND.

Flycam footage: Binh Tay Market after its makeover.

With 1,446 stalls (698 on the ground floor and 748 on the upper floor), Binh Tay Market is a major wholesale hub in Ho Chi Minh City, connecting to the Mekong Delta and exporting goods to Cambodia. It is also a popular tourist attraction for foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City. Located within a 25,000 m² area, between four streets – Thap Muoi, Le Tan Ke, Pham Van Khoi, and Tran Binh (District 6) – Binh Tay Market has 12 gates and an octagonal architectural design. It was built in 1928 by a Chinese merchant. In 2015, the market was recognized as an architectural and artistic heritage site in Ho Chi Minh City. Ng.Nga

According to documents from the Binh Tay Market Management Board: “Compared to the Tan Kieng market of the Vietnamese, the Saigon market (the area of ​​the Cho Lon Post Office today) was larger, hence its name Cho Lon (Big Market). However, due to increasingly prosperous lives, people from all over came to make a living and establish businesses, so the market gradually became cramped. The Cho Lon provincial government at that time planned to build a new market but had not yet found land. Upon hearing this news, businessman Quach Dam spent money to buy a swampy plot of land over 25,000 m2 in Binh Tay village and had it leveled, completing a new market with reinforced concrete and donating it to the state. It can be said that this was the most massive and modern market in Southern Vietnam at that time. To commemorate Quach Dam's contributions, after his death, a statue of him was erected in 1930 on a high pedestal, with a unicorn and a water-spouting dragon at its base, right in the center of Binh Tay Market.”

After nearly a century of operation and enduring countless storms, Binh Tay Market has recently deteriorated significantly. Several sections are leaking and severely damaged, affecting the business of the vendors. Although it has been upgraded several times, this third renovation is the largest and most systematic, providing a clean, modern space for vendors and shoppers while preserving a historical monument with a unique architectural style that harmoniously blends French, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences. All the rafters and roof tiles of the market have been completely replaced with new ones based on the original design.

Mr. Ngo Thanh Luong, Chairman of the People's Committee of District 6, said: “Before the renovation, we were determined to preserve all the lines and details of the ancient architecture while still adhering to the urban planning, under the strict supervision of 12 departments and agencies. All architectural details during repair or restoration were inspected and approved by the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Conservation and Promotion of Historical and Cultural Relics and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports before the district allowed the work to proceed.” To ensure the safety of the market's operation, this renovation included the installation of a fire prevention and fighting system throughout the market, and surveillance cameras mounted on the ceiling.

Mr. Ngo Thanh Luong stated that, along with markets in the central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Tay Market is a major wholesale supplier of goods to the entire country, as well as to Laos and Cambodia. The market has also been selected by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism as a tourist destination, thus contributing significantly to the district's revenue. "With its bustling 'riverside' landscape, we hope that after the renovation is complete, the Hang Bang and Lo Gom canals, together with Binh Tay Market, will form a complete commercial and service axis, contributing to the economic , tourism, and cultural development of District 6 in particular and Ho Chi Minh City in general," Mr. Luong shared.

Currently, small traders are beginning to move their goods back to the market to resume normal business. Mr. Duc Phan, a Vietnamese-American, was extremely surprised to find himself shopping right when Binh Tay Market was inaugurated. “I am very happy that our country has preserved such a beautiful architectural heritage as Binh Tay Market. Preserving cultural works like this for future generations through socialized funding is, in my opinion, truly commendable and should be replicated,” said Mr. Duc Phan.

Many historical sites are currently being restored.

Mr. Truong Kim Quan, Director of the Center for Conservation and Promotion of Historical and Cultural Relics of Ho Chi Minh City, said: Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has many relics undergoing restoration, including: Phu Xuan communal house (Nha Be District), Thong Tay Hoi communal house (Go Vap District), Phu Thanh communal house (District 3), Hanh Phu communal house (District 12), the headquarters of the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City, and Notre Dame Cathedral (District 1). Other relics currently in the process of applying for repair include: Marie Curie School (District 3), Cha Tam Church (District 5), Phong Phu communal house and the Wire Post (District 9).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giu-ve-dep-xua-cua-cho-binh-tay-185804495.htm