The happy urban couple

BEN HANH MARKET STREET - TRAFFIC AND TRADE HUB

In the early 20th century, this was a huge civil construction project with an area of ​​over 10,000 m², located at a vast intersection, very close to Catinat (Dong Khoi) and Charner (Nguyen Hue) streets. The land led to La Somme (Ham Nghi) street, leading straight to Saigon Commercial Port. On the other hand, it was adjacent to Galliénie street - the new road leading to Cho Lon. Because of this prime location, the French government moved the original Ben Thanh market - originally a wooden market house, located on Charner avenue, here.

Ben Thanh Market in its inception in 1914

Photo: Postcard collection by Philippe Chaplain

When designing the new market, the authors may have been inspired by the model of the central market in Paris Les Halles (1769), which had a main gate and buildings built in the style of massive factories (the French did not use the term Ben Thanh market but called it Les Halles Centrales de Saigon - Saigon Central Market). However, Ben Thanh market still has its own unique and strange style. The entire market building bears the image of a majestic citadel, with four sides having majestic entrance gates, the highlight of which is the majestic clock tower on the main facade (South gate). The market buildings are arranged in four vertical blocks and two horizontal blocks. Each row has two tiled roofs separated by a distance to provide light and air circulation below.

From the outside and above, the market looks like a large and neat factory. Inside the market are sturdy steel arches, forming a large, high space. In 1918, when visiting Saigon, journalist Pham Quynh said that the giant clock tower of Ben Thanh Market gives the feeling of "solidity and strength like a fortress". It has a simple shape and decoration like a four-sided watchtower, but the lines and decorative motifs on the outside are all in the Renaissance style, expressing strength and luxury. Notably, standing out on the top of the tower, surrounding the lightning rod is the shape of a wine gourd, symbolizing abundance in Eastern concepts.

Surrounding the market are three rows of three-story townhouses, arranged in a U shape, built at the same time. The road on both sides of the market, when it was first established, used to be a bus station and then a coach station. Near the market is the central train station (now 23/9 Park). After 111 years of existence, despite some changes in the exterior architecture and interior arrangement, Ben Thanh Market and the three streets of Phan Chu Trinh, Le Thanh Ton and Phan Boi Chau are still the busiest market area in the city. Many meaningful economic, cultural and political events have been recorded here. To this day, Ben Thanh Market has always been a popular symbol of a prosperous Saigon.

Binh Tay Market Street

The market was built on a large plot of land (17,000 m²), which used to be a shipyard, in Binh Tay village, so people called it Binh Tay market (the French called it Marché Central de Cholon, Cho Lon central market). This is a French-Chinese architecture and has the same shape as a great citadel like Ben Thanh market. In particular, the clock tower is built in the style of a two-story watchtower of ancient Chinese citadels. The tiled roof of the upper floor has two dragon statues, while the tiled roof of the lower floor has four dragon statues spreading in four directions. All the roofs of the houses have dragon images and are covered with East Asian-style tiles. In addition, the four walls of the clock tower are not built tightly but have ventilation slats in the shape of stylized Chinese characters "double happiness".

Aerial photo of Binh Tay Market area, 1950s

Photo: Postcard collection by Nguyen Dai Hung Loc

Binh Tay Market is designed from above to resemble the word "mouth" (symbolizing prosperity) with a square yard in the middle, surrounded by houses along the four sides of the road. In the center of the yard is a statue of Mr. Quach Dam (1862 - 1927) - a businessman who donated land and funds to build the market. At the foot of the statue is a lake surrounded by four bronze dragon statues. Placing the lake in the center of the market is a manifestation of feng shui design, in which water represents money.

The back of the market is adjacent to Hang Bang Canal, which is also a waterway for goods going up and down, connecting to the Mekong Delta. Surrounding the market are three rows of three-story townhouses, which are both places of business and residence. At the beginning of each row of townhouses, the roof rises in the shape of a two-story bell, with a tiled roof surrounding the lower part, showing harmony.

Europe - Asia. Unfortunately, those three rows of old houses were demolished to build townhouses in the 1990s. Binh Tay Market is a wholesale and retail market for many goods for the whole South, marking the birth of the modern New Cho Lon area, following the Old Cho Lon area (around the District 5 Post Office). Ben Thanh Market Street and Binh Tay Market Street are two old quarters, attractive tourist destinations for everyone. (continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cap-doi-pho-thi-sung-man-185250413213243559.htm