The iconic statue of Ho Chi Minh, which has made its home in front of the HCMC People’s Committee building, will soon be moved and replaced by a new bust of Vietnam’s most beloved national hero.
The new statue is set to be completed by April 30, 2015, to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the American War. It will stand 6.3 meters tall with a 1.8-meter base, nearly double the size of the current one and will cost VND30 billion ($1.4 million).
Nguyen Thanh Rum, director of HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the area around the statue will be renovated including sidewalks and all the buildings on Nguyen Hue street. In addition, the statue’s location will be moved closer to the small park towards the center of the street.
The current statue has been standing since 1990 and was designed by Vietnamese sculptor Diep Minh Chau. It will be relocated to a community center in District 3.
