Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard

You are on Nguyễn Huệ, the boulevard where Saigon comes out for a stroll. It is hard to imagine, but a canal once ran beneath your feet.

1From canal to boulevard

It was the Kinh Lớn, the Grand Canal, which linked the old citadel to the Saigon River. The market stood beside it, and boats unloaded along its banks. Over time the water became unhealthy and residents asked for it to be covered over; after years of debate it was filled in in 1887 and Boulevard Charner was born. In 1955 it took the name Nguyễn Huệ, after the emperor Quang Trung, who defeated the Qing armies in 1789.

2The city's square

In 2015 the centre of the boulevard was turned into a pedestrian esplanade linking the former City Hall with the river. Since 2004 it has hosted the flower street for Tết, the lunar new year, and it is where the city gathers for celebrations and the New Year's Eve countdown. The first metro line runs beneath the paving.

3The café building

Number 42 is a 1960s apartment block. Over time its old flats filled up with cafés and shops, and the façade, with its colourful signs, has become one of the most photographed sights in Saigon.

At dusk, Nguyễn Huệ is Saigon's living room.

4What to look for

• The building at number 42 and its balconies.
• The City Hall, closing the view to the north.
• The metro entrances of the Opera House station.