Bao Dai Summer Palace I, also known as King Palace 1, was built by French millionaire Robert Clément Bourgery in 1929. Palace II or Bao Dai Summer Palace II is the living and working place of King Bao Dai with Queen Nam Phuong and their children.
Da Lat city, a hazy city that attracts tourists with the Valley of Love, Pongour, Tuyen Lam Lake, or other historical sites such as Prenn Falls and especially the ancient French architectural works.
During the reign of Emperor Dai Nam and the National President of Vietnam, Emperor Bao Dai, the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty and also the last king of feudal dynasties, built seven mansions scattered throughout the country. Among his palaces, the villas in Dalat are highly regarded in the Nguyen architecture and are most well-known historical relics that preserve until know.
Bao Dai Summer Palace I
Situated on a 1,550m hill with beautiful surroundings surrounded by pine forest, Bao Dai Summer Palace I, also known as King Palace 1, was built by French millionaire Robert Clément Bourgery in 1929. He became head of state (1949-1954), considered the location as the most beautiful and quiet place so he bought in 1949 for 500,000 Indochina. The building was later renovated and renamed Gia Long Palace and set up the headquarters. During the reconstruction, a group of workers discovered a secret tunnel of nearly 4km, located just behind Palace I, through the Palace II with many branches turning into the villas 11, 16, 18, 26. However, King Bao Dai ordered to hide.
The entire area has about 18ha, of which Palace I is 818m2, including a basement, ground floor and 12 large rooms built solidly with brick and stone. The first floor is where Chief of State, Bao Dai reception and the work of the mandarin, while the second floor is used as a place to rest and work. Entering the main entrance of the mansion, tourists discover Bao Dai Palace will see the symmetry in the design, construction of stairs and wood corridors opening to the two sides. On the main door and windows are arches, roofs at the corner of the tail, and the façade decorated with many delicate details contributing to the luxurious appearance of the palace. After the Palace I, King Bao Dai also built more buildings of the Musketeers, the lake, the garden on the hill, the base station for hunting in the valley …
Bao Dai Summer Palace II
Located on the top of Ai An hill, about 2km far from the center of Dalat city to the southwest, Palace II or Bao Dai Summer Palace is the living and working place of King Bao Dai with Queen Nam Phuong and their children. The palace was built between 1933 and 1938 by a French architect and architect Huynh Tan Phat with elegant appearance and typical for French classical architecture in Da Lat.
The whole building consists of 2 floors with 25 rooms, including the ground floor where held meetings, banquets, foreign guests and the imperial tide officials (the name of the land of the French Central Highlands). The upper floor is home to King Bao Dai. If tourists have Da Lat travelling experience, they will easily recognize the design of European style of Palace II, especially the architecture of the front and back of the flower garden.
Compared with many other palaces built at the same time, Palace II is preserved almost original architectural status. Coming here, tourists will feel the atmosphere of luxury and proximity of the ancient royal family, and his monuments of King Bao Dai as the military seal, pearl, national letter, flag of the countries. Especially, in the exclusive room, tourists will see the picture of Angkor Wat presented by the Prince of Cambodia to King Bao Dai preserving as the historical relic until now.
Let’s come to Bao Dai Summer Palace and experience the historical value!
