Louis-Aldolphe Bonard
Louis-Adolphe Bonard (Cherbourg, born on March27th, 805 - Vanves, died on March1st 1867), was a French admiral, named as the first Governor-Admiral of Cochin-China, appointed by Emperor Napoleon III from November 30th ,1861 to October 16th, 1863.
Bonard Boulevard (now Lê Loi)
This boulevard begins from the Municipal Theatre and cut perpendicularly the Charner Boulevard to finish on Eugene Cuniac Square where was the railway station.
The Opera or Municipal Theater
The Municipal Theater was built in 1910 by the architecture firm of Félix Ollivier, Ernest Guichard, and Eugène Ferret. Hosting theater companies from Paris or divas just passing through, it enlivened somewhat the city in which the elite got bored in the evening. It was inaugurated in the presence of Prince Waldemar of Denmark.
In the architectural style of the Third French Republic, the façade is inspired by the Petit-Palais in Paris. The interior appointments are well-equipped with perfect acoustics and lighting. The building includes a general-seating area and two balconies, for a total of 1800 seats.
Décor, inscriptions, and furniture were designed in France by famous French artists and sent to Saigon.
In 1943 a part of this décor was removed during the Japanese occupation.
For the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon the city government had a part of the façade’s décor reconstructed.
Last in the 50‘s and the beginning of the 60’s this theater was the seat of the South Vietnamese parliament.
Emile Bodin
- at 20 Bonard Boulevard
Emile Bodin Limited
Sporting goods, Novelties
Tel: 21.476
Nam Anh
- at 20 Bonard Boulevard
Nam Anh Limited
Radio & Electricity shop
Photo
Tan My
Photo Tan My
- 28 Boulevard Bonard
Saïgon
SCAMA
Ford Vedette
Concessionaire for : Ford - Marmonn Herrrington - Frehauf - Vespa
- 28-39 Bonard Boulevard
Saigon
Phone: 21.408 & 21409
Shop: 9, Lacote Street (now Pham Hông Thái)
Corner of the Bonard Boulevard and Charner Boulevard
Kim Long Restaurant
and Nightclub Bong Lai
The excellent chinese restaurant "Kim Long" was located on Bonard (Lê Loi) Boulevard.
ARVN War memorial
The ARVN Marines statue was situated right in front of the National Assemby or today's Municipal Theater.
It was toppled after 1975 and replaced by the statue of mother and child.
The Vien-Dong - 57-59 Bonard Boulevard Phuc-Thanh Company 58 Bonard Laques Hong Phát Company - " 112 Boulevard Bonard (Lê Loi) Alsace Potash - " 119 Bonard Boulevard Grand Pharmacy of Saigon Nguyen-Van-Cao - 120-124 Bonard Boulevard Bonard theater - 121, Bonard boulevard |
Ciné - Radio - 121, Bonard Boulevard Moped on Bonard Boulevard Indochinese Forest and Matches Company - 123, Bonard Boulevard Air Vietnam - 123, Bonard Boulevard Polyclinic Dejean de la Bâtie - 125 Bonard Boulevard The Casino de Saigon (now Kem Bach Dang) - the "Casino de Saïgon" is located at the corner of Bonard Boulevard (Le Loi ) and Pellerin Street (Pasteur). Lien-Seng - 28, Francis Garnier Square |
The Central Market (now Ben Thanh)
The Central market is located at the corner of Boulevard de la Somme and Boulevard Bonnard, to the right of the station on Eugène Cuniac Square. It was built in 1914 by a French company based in Saigon, at 48, Richaud Street; the “Brossard and Mopin” Company. This building is still the used as a market, it has four main doors, (east, west, north, and south), and the latter with its clock tower has become the current symbol of Ho Chi Minh City.
The “Brossard and Mopin” Company carried out many construction projects in Indochina such as the Hon Gay coal mines railroad, infrastructures on the Viétry railroad at Lao Kay, on the Yunnan railroad; the station at Hanoi; 6000 meters (3.7 miles) of wharves in Saigon harbor; headquarters buildings such as that of the Bank of Indochina; the first 4- and 5-story apartment buildings on Catinat Street, as well as large-scale projects in China and Singapore
The central market (Ben Thanh) of Saigon after the fire on March 21st, 1950, set by the Vietminh.
On the left the bus station, at the center the dance hall "Le Tabarin" located in Bourdais Street, on the right the railway station.
On the right the Market Square (Ben Thanh).
Lê Loi (formely Bonard Boulevard) in 1972