Ben Duoc Monument

Location: Ben Duoc Monument was built in Cu Chi District, about 70km from Ho Chi Minh City centre.
Characteristic: The Ben Duoc Monument to the War Martyrs is a harmonious architectural complex. The monument was built according to the design of a traditional Vietnamese temple.

Ben Duoc Monument to War Martyrs, a cultural history project of the Party Committee and people of Ho Chi Minh City was built to memorialize the significant contributions of the soldiers and people who scarified their lives in the Saigon - Gia Dinh region during the anti-American and the anti-French fights. On December 19th, 1975, the first stage of the Memorial Monument was inaugurated to welcome many groups of people from inside and outside Vietnam to come to recall, burn incense and think of an ideal of life which has made the holy spirit of the country. The City Committee of the Party, the People's Council, and the Fatherland Font of Ho Chi Minh City have chosen the date of December 19th each year as the memorial day and the day to be grateful to the heroic revolutionary martyrs. Construction was started on May 19th, 1993 on the occasion of 103rd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, the beloved leader of Vietnamese people. It is on an area of 7hectares and in the compound of the historical heritages around the Cu chi Tunnels.
The Ben Duoc Monument includes the following items:
1. Three-door temple gate:
Three-door temple gate has the architecture of the traditional style of the country with a line of round pillars, with the Yin and Yang tile. The gate has the curved designs and patterns of a village entrance but made with new materials. In the middle of three-door temple gate is the signboard: Ben Duoc Monument and on the body of the pillars are the parallel sentences of the poet Bao Dinh Giang:
To spread the heart for the whole country,
To bring the current of red blood for protecting the country
Having the mind to know the merit, sweet- smelling incense is burned one stick,
There is always the image in life; the stars are twinkling a thousand years.
2. The inscription house:
The inscription house is a square house with double tile. In the middle is a stone tablet 3m high, 1.7m wide, and 0.25m thick and weighing 3.07 tons. This stone tablet is taken from one block of 18 ton stone from Ngu Hanh Son (Da Nang) and is carved by artisans with all kinds of unique patterns of the country
The writing carved on the stone tablet is titled " Eternally remember the poet Vien Phuong", which was chosen from a contest of 217 writings of 29 provinces and cities. The inscription is an immortal powerful writing, expressing the sky-scraping spirit of our country, and good-hearted mind of our people, the overwhelming force of our country, a noble attachment of soldiers and people who are never afraid of hardship or sacrifice in order to make a glorious, splendid historical page for Vietnam.
3. The main temple:
The architecture has the solemn and serene air of ancient temples of Vietnam.
The worship temple is organized in a U shape: the center is the alter of country, in the middle is the statue of President Ho Chi Minh, on the top written: "For the country, forger ourselves. Eternally remember." On the left and right are two incense-tables to remember our ancestors, people and unknown soldiers. Along the left wall is the name of dead soldiers of the Party, and the right wall is the name of dead soldiers of the armed forces. The names of dead soldiers are carved into a granite stone tablet with gilded letters. There are 44,520 revolutionary martyrs' names carved in the temple including Vietnamese mothers, heroes, and revolutionary martyrs, including 9,322 revolutionary martyrs from other provinces and cities. There are three monumental pictures made of china outside the main temple wall, which were made by the University of Fine Arts, expressing the content: People reclaim waste land to establish the country; To give strength to resist against the invaders; Oppressed people rise up to fight to achieve victory many times every day people come here to look for the names of relatives and comrades. They are choked with emotion when they see the names, knowing the place of burial and other details of dead soldiers supplied by the temple management board. We are moved and proud of the excellent people of the country who have their names carved in the temple. From now on, their souls will be warmed and relaxed since each day many groups of people offer flowers and burn incense to memorialize those sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the country.
4. Tower:
The tower symbolizes the rise up the to pinnacle of future fame. The tower has 9 floors and is 39m high. On the wall of the tower are many designs to express the life and struggle of the Cu Chi people - “an iron bulwark land of revolution". On the highest floor of the tower, we can see part of the revolution base from which some places have entered into the history of the Iron Triangle (Tam Gain Sat) region.
5. Flower garden:
From a region of full of craters which has been stunted and devastated by war, now the Temple has a smooth, nice flower garden year-round with many kinds of precious trees sent as souvenirs by craftsman and organizations. Notably, the Central, City and Provincial leaders have planted many kinds of precious trees in the flower garden in front of the Temple. The flower garden behind the Temple has the symbol of the spirit of the country. It is made of granite 16m highland weighs 243-tonsThe symbols is in the center of the flower garden with its face to the Saigon River. It is expressed by an image of a teardrop; symbolizing the loss and grief of many generations of Vietnam people who fought to maintain their country. The whole symbol features a lotus flower caressed by a hand, making the visitors remember the lines of two folk-songs:
Tap Moue the most beautiful thing is lotus flower
Vietnam the most beautiful thing is named Uncle Ho
On the body of symbol there are some carvings of Vietnam historical events from the time of the country's establishment by King Hung Vuong to independence day April 30th, 1975.
6. Basement
The Basement of the temple has nine spaces on the theme of Saigon Chow Lon resilient and indomitable, presenting the prominent war events of our people and soldiers in the Iron Triangle (Tam Gain Sat) region in particular and Vietnam in general. They were to protest against the unjust wars of the empire and its henchman. Those events come back to life by some imposing pictures, statues, sand tables, stage models, and sculptures
Each space presents a different historical period.
In the first space: French invader -, forget to protect our country.
In the second space: General armed uprising of August 1945 in Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh.
In the third space: the people and soldiers of Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh fired the first gun, starting the resistance against the French invasion and determined to protect our independence.
In the fifth space: guerilla war of rural people in Cu Chi, an iron bulwark land of revolution.

In the sixth space: our people and soldiers take to the street, rising up in arms to attack during the Mau Than New Year.
In the seventh space: People and soldiers of Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh contribute to the victory of Ho Chi Minh's campaign in the spring of 1975.
In the eighth space: for the great signification, take his own body to make a live torch
In the ninth space: the southern people went first but returned last, for the thirst of peace, unification, independence and freedom
The Ben Duoc Monument is made by architects, scientists, historians, politicians, construction engineers and anonymous people, making it a harmony of architecture, people, and the community. It precisely captures the national characteristic of Vietnam while showing its gentle spirit.The Ben Duoc Monument to War Martyrs not only presents the most beautiful of fine arts but also reminds everybody of the merit of Communist soldiers, making us remember forever the magnanimous history of the country, and also remember the heroic mother , martyrs and so many people who have died for the freedom of today. The Ben Duoc Revolutionary Martyr Memorial Monument is forever preserved for our future generations