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Old photos of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

94 photographs of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), from 1866 to 2023 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.

Have an old photo of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)? A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show

The 94 photographs of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on PlaceWas span 6 decades, from 1866 to 2023. 84 of them were taken before 1980; the other 10 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.6 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.94 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.

Pick a decade to filter the photos below and the map above. Open full map ↗

Places in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) through time

Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.

EU: North Saigon on river Mekong (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
EU: North Saigon on river Mekong (1866) 46 photos · 1866–1910
Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
Ho Chi Minh City Hall 23 photos · 1866–2023
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon 12 photos · 1866–1875
Opera of Ho Chi Minh city, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
Opera of Ho Chi Minh city 5 photos · 2017–2023
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0056133], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0056133] 4 photos · 1866–1867
Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — photos through time
Notre Dame Cathedral 3 photos · 2013

Stories from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

What contributors wrote about these photographs.

EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789] 1866 Scottish photographer John Thomson photographed Saigon in 1866 during his travels through French Cochin China, part of a Southeast Asian journey that also took him through Cambodia and Siam. His Vietnam images are among…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, - (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, - (1866) 1866 Taken in Saigon in 1866 by Scottish photographer John Thomson, this image forms part of a body of work later used to illustrate his accounts of travel through Cochinchina and Cambodia. The photograph survives in the…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) A, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) A 1866 This view of Saigon dates to 1866, when Scottish photographer John Thomson was travelling through Cochinchina documenting the region for a Western audience largely unfamiliar with Southeast Asia. Saigon was then the…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866) 1866 One of several images John Thomson made in Saigon in 1866, this photograph is held in the Wellcome Collection under the reference L0055789. Thomson's Cochinchina work is regarded as among the earliest sustained…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 573) (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 573) (1867) 1866 Photographer John Thomson recorded this scene in Saigon around 1866, during the early years of French colonial administration over Cochin China, when the city was emerging as the region's principal port and…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1866) [L0055789], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1866) [L0055789] 1866 John Thomson recorded this scene in Saigon in 1866, part of a series of photographs he made while traveling through French-controlled Cochin China in the mid-1860s, a region he visited alongside expeditions to Cambodia…
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 1082) (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 1082) (1867) 1867 This 1867 photograph of Saigon, taken by John Thomson, forms part of a set of images documenting Cochin China in the years following the French conquest of southern Vietnam, when the city was rapidly being rebuilt under…
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam] [neg 557] (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam] [neg 557] (1867) 1867 A bridge spanning a river at Saigon, photographed in 1867 by John Thomson as part of his documentation of French Cochin China. The negative number recorded with the image reflects its place within Thomson's extensive…
1860s · 81 photos · showing 40, all 81 on the map ↗
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (L0055789) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (L0055789) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789] 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (yk8jz2nz), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (yk8jz2nz) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (g75utfy8), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (g75utfy8) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) [L0055789] 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (L0055788) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (L0055788) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, - (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, - (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) A, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (1866) A 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055788) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055788) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1866) [L0055789], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, (1866) [L0055789] 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 573) (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 573) (1867) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 1085a) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, (neg. 1085a) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, (street scene) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, (street scene) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, building under construction [neg 573] (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, building under construction [neg 573] (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson [neg 1085a] (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson [neg 1085a] (1866) 1866
EU: North Saigon on river Mekong (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: North Saigon on river Mekong (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055789] (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055789] (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055788] (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055788] (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055789) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055788) (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson (L0055788) (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [yk8jz2nz] (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [yk8jz2nz] (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1866 - (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1866 - (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1866 - (1866), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1866 - (1866) 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055788], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1866
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055788] 1866
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055838], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055838] 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, 1867 - (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [nxgasaqc] (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [nxgasaqc] (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [z6jjcbwr] (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [z6jjcbwr] (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [bguded7x] (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China. Photograph by John Thomson, [bguded7x] (1867) 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China, Vietnam (1867) 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055839], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055839] 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055765], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055765] 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055764], Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam]. Photograph by John Thomson, [L0055764] 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam] (V0037272) (1867), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1867
EU: River bridge, Saigon, Cochin China [Vietnam] (V0037272) (1867) 1867
1870s · 1 photo
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1875
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon 1875
1900s · 1 photo
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon (1900), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1900
EU: Gezicht op een graftombe in Saigon (1900) 1900
1910s · 1 photo
EU: Indo-Chine, Cochinchine, Saigon, Une rue, marchand ambulant (1910), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 1910
EU: Indo-Chine, Cochinchine, Saigon, Une rue, marchand ambulant (1910) 1910
2010s · 5 photos
Nha tho duc ba saigon - Dyt, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2013
Nha tho duc ba saigon - Dyt 2013
Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2013
Notre Dame Cathedral 2013
Nhà thờ đức bà, q1,hcmvn, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2013
Nhà thờ đức bà, q1,hcmvn 2013
Town Hall In Hcmc, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2017
Town Hall In Hcmc 2017
Opera of Ho Chi Minh city, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2017
Opera of Ho Chi Minh city 2017
2020s · 5 photos
CSS Thaco Sightseeing 120SS, Lê Lợi Boulevard, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2023
CSS Thaco Sightseeing 120SS, Lê Lợi Boulevard, Ho Chi Minh City 2023
Opera House metro station, Ho Chi Minh City (Ga Nhà hát Thành phố), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2023
Opera House metro station, Ho Chi Minh City (Ga Nhà hát Thành phố) 2023
Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2023
Ho Chi Minh City Hall 2023
Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2023
Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City 2023
Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 2023
Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City 2023