Postcard exhibit shows a VN past

Postcard exhibit shows a VN past

Hanoians and visitors can catch a glimpse of the past at an on-going exhibition of postcards dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, on display at the Sofitel Metropole Ha Noi Hotel.

Organised by the hotel, 72 postcards from their sizeable collection are on display. The subjects vary from religious practices to historic monuments and local customs of the country three largest cities: Ha Noi, Hue and HCM City.

The postcards are divided into three collections, one of streets and districts, one for architectural monuments, and one section looking at people daily lives.

Visitors can peruse the collection to check out what familiar sites looked like a century ago, including O Quan Chuong (Old Main Gate), Ngoc Son Temple and West Lake of Ha Noi, the royal mausoleums of Hue, and the Indochina Governor-general Palace in Sai Gon, now HCM City.

Also at the exhibition, viewers can see what the Metropole Hotel looked like in 1903 when the area was hit by a horrific typhoon.

"Many places and monuments pictured in these postcards no longer stand, but observing the postcards, I and other people can learn more about the past. I can feel the spirit of Vietnamese culture in these images," said Tran Duc, who visited the exhibition.

According to the hotel General Manager, Gilles Cretallaz, they plan to sell reproductions of eight postcards to raise money for charity.

"The money raised will be donated to Operation Smile a non-profit charity that provides reconstructive facial surgery to underprivileged children," he said.

The exhibition runs until Friday at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel lobby, 15 Ngo Quyen Street, Ha Noi.