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    The French colonial architecture of Dalat

    / Last updated 16 May 2017

    Introduction

    This gallery showcases the French colonial architecture of Dalat in Vietnam's central highlands. It's some of the most interesting in all of Indochina. Unique buildings were created to suit the mild climate. The Catholic Church was especially ambitious here. There is also an impressive collection of modernist architecture - much of it by Vietnamese architects. The former residence of Tran Le Xuan, aka. Madam Nhu is a superb piece of Vietnamese modernism. Enjoy this collection of images of Dalat's remarkable architecture.

    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • One of the villas at the Ana Mandara Hotel complex.
    • Another villa at the Ana Mandara Hotel complex.
    • Guessing this building is from the 50s. It reminds me of the buildings of Cambodia's architectural flourishing from the same period found in Phnom Penh and Kep.
    • Classic villa Dalat
    • Colonial mansion Dalat.
    • A hotel on the hill overlooking Dalat.
    • Colonial mansion Dalat.
    • Dalat.
    • Another more modern - perhaps 1950s structure.
    • Dalat.
    • Dalat's 1930s train station once connected the city with the coast. These days a 5 kilometre tourist service operates from here.
    • The architecture fuses art-deco elements with local minority design elements.
    • Two of Dalat's grandest buildings - both formally church structures.
    • The building in the foreground in now owned by the military so there's no access.
    • Some of the grandest buildings of the French colonial era are located in Dalat - many of them quite unique in design.
    • The distinctive tower of Dalat's teacher training college.
    • A number of Dalat's buildings exhibit an architectural style not seen elsewhere in the former French colonies of Indochina.
    • Teacher training college, Dalat.
    • Ernest Hebrard, one of the most prolific architects of Indochina, was involved with the design here too - the old Lycee Yersin It was one of the most prestigious schools in the colony. Vietnam's last king, Bao Dai and Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk studied here.
    • Teacher Training College, formerly Lycee Yersin, Dalat
    • Teacher Training College, formerly Lycee Yersin, Dalat
    • Disintegrating villa, Dalat.
    • Domaine De Marie Convent, Dalat
    • Domaine De Marie Convent, Dalat
    • Mr Tam, my xe om - motorcycle taxi in Dalat.
    • Fading villa, Dalat
    • Dalat villa.
    • The Vietnam Airlines office is in a chalet style villa overlooking the lake.
    • Notre Dame of Lang Biang Convent
    • Notre Dame of Lang Biang Convent
    • Government building downtown Dalat.
    • A favourite - now a guest house run by the government.
    • Dalat villa.
    • An old church building.
    • Dalat festival centre - modernism
    • Dalat Market interior - modernist lines
    • Dalat Market
    • Dalat Market square
    • Madam Nhu's modernist residence, Dalat
    • Madam Nhu's modernist residence, Dalat. One of the coolest buildings in Vietnam
    • Hong Ngoc residence - built for Madam Nhu's parents.
    • Modernist residence, Dalat
    • Row of colonial era shophouses, Dalat
    • Colonial era residence, Dalat
    • Colonial era residence, Dalat
    • Abandoned Franciscan Mission, Dalat
    • Abandoned Franciscan Mission, Dalat
    • Abandoned Franciscan Mission, Dalat
    • Modernist wing - Abandoned Franciscan Mission, Dalat
    • Modernist wing - Abandoned Franciscan Mission, Dalat. It's set to become a new university of architecture.
    • The owner of this newly renovated colonial era Dalat villa told me the original structure and timber was in excellent condition and didn't require replacement, despite decades of neglect. Cause for hope that other successful Vietnamese may follow her lead.
    • Bao Dai's Summer Palace, Dalat
    • Bao Dai's Summer Palace, Dalat
    • Pasteur Institute Dalat has a fresh coat of paint.
    • Bao Dai's Palace Number 1 - newly opened. Dalat
    • The recently opened Dinh 1 Palace - one of King Bao Dai's three residences in Dalat. It's an interesting building that pre-dates Bao Dai. There's no historical information of any substance.
    • Colonial era structure, Dalat
    • Dalat Architecture
    • Dalat's discovering the beauty of concrete... Damned shame.
    • Grand colonial mansions of Dalat
    • Grand colonial mansions of Dalat
    Quicklink - Introduction - Dalat