Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body lies in a granite mausoleum completed in 1975, modelled loosely on Lenin's tomb in Moscow but faced with stone brought from across Vietnam. Visitors file past the glass sarcophagus in a single silent line with no stopping, a visit that takes two or three minutes once inside. Photography, bags, phones and cameras are prohibited and must be left at the deposit counter on Ngoc Ha street, shorts and sleeveless tops are refused, and military guards enforce both rules strictly.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum stands at 2 Hung Vuong Street on Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, Vietnam, the place where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on 2 September 1945. Completed in 1975, the granite and marble building holds the embalmed body of the revolutionary leader in a glass sarcophagus. Its design is loosely modelled on Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow, though the stone was brought from across Vietnam and the roof is intended to recall a traditional communal house or lotus.
The visit is a formal, silent procession. Visitors queue in lines of two on the square, pass through security and file through the mausoleum without stopping, a passage that takes only two or three minutes inside. Military guards in white uniforms stand at attention and enforce the rules strictly. Bags, phones and cameras are prohibited and must be left at the deposit counter on Ngoc Ha Street, photography is not permitted inside, and shorts, sleeveless tops and other revealing clothing are refused. Visitors should keep hands out of pockets, remain silent and remove hats.
The mausoleum is open on Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, roughly 07:30 to 10:30 in summer and 08:00 to 11:00 in winter, and is closed on Monday and Friday. It also closes for about two months each autumn for maintenance when the body is taken for treatment, so visitors should confirm dates before travelling. Admission is free. The queue can be long, and arrival by 07:15 typically puts a visitor near the front. The daily flag-raising ceremony on Ba Dinh Square at 06:00 and the lowering at 21:00 are worth seeing in themselves.
Around the mausoleum, the wider Ho Chi Minh complex includes the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace grounds and the stilt house, so most visitors plan a half-day. A typical visit to the mausoleum alone, including queueing and security, takes about 45 minutes. Crowds are heaviest on weekends and national holidays, and the mid-morning queue closes at the stated cut-off time even if people are still waiting.
| Admission | Free |
|---|---|
| Hours | Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 07:30-10:30 in summer and 08:00-11:00 in winter; closed Monday and Friday and for roughly two months of maintenance each autumn |
| Typical visit | 45 minutes including the queue |
| Best time | Arrive by 07:15 to be near the front of the queue; the flag-raising ceremony on Ba Dinh Square is at 06:00 and the lowering at 21:00 |
| Getting there | Grab car from Hoan Kiem Lake about 60,000 VND (~$2.31); buses 09, 18, 22 and 33 stop on Ong Ich Khiem |
| Address | 2 Hung Vuong Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi |
Location
2 Hung Vuong Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
21.0367, 105.8348 View on map
Highlights
- File past the embalmed body in the granite mausoleum
- Watch the 06:00 flag-raising on Ba Dinh Square
- See the honour guards in white uniform
- Combine with the museum, stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda in the same complex
Tips for visiting
- Arrive by 07:15 to be near the front of the queue
- Leave bags, phones and cameras at the deposit counter on Ngoc Ha Street
- Wear long trousers or a skirt and covered shoulders; shorts and sleeveless tops are refused
- Remain silent and keep hands out of pockets in the hall
- Check for the autumn maintenance closure before planning
- It is closed on Monday and Friday
When to visit
Arrive by 07:15 on a weekday morning to beat the queue, and avoid weekends and public holidays when waits are longest.
Accessibility
The approach across the square is flat, and staff usually help visitors with mobility needs through the procession, though the process requires standing in queues. Confirm arrangements with staff on arrival.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does the visit take?
Around 45 minutes including the queue and security, with only two or three minutes inside the mausoleum.
Is photography allowed?
No, cameras and phones must be left at the deposit counter and photography is prohibited inside.
What does it cost?
Admission is free.
When is it closed?
It is closed on Monday and Friday, and for about two months each autumn for maintenance of the body.
Tours and tickets
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
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