House at 48 Hang Ngang, where the Declaration of Independence was written

Seventy-three years ago, 48 Hang Ngang Street was a successful silk shop that belonged to Trinh Van Bo and Hoang Thi Minh Ho, an affluent couple.

Located in the liveliest commercial quarter of Hanoi, this tube house opened on two parallel streets, 48 Hang Ngang street in the front and 35 Hang Can street in the back.

At the time, few people knew that this was the confidential venue of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam where President Ho Chi Minh was working on his return to Hanoi.

In this house, he made important decisions about the future of Vietnam and drafted the Declaration of Independence, which gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945. Despite the ravages of time, the house today still retains its original architecture.

Quach Thi Huong Tra, a tour guide, describes the house: "On the ground floor was the silk shop that looked out on Hang Ngang Street, a courtyard, storeroom, and a garage that opened onto Hang Can Street. The first floor served as a living room and dining room. The second and third floors held bedrooms and offices. Given its strategic location, the Party Central Committee decided to shelter President Ho Chi Minh here between August 25 and September 2, 1945. "

After the 1945 August Revolution, Trinh Van Bo donated this house to the State, which turned it into a mini museum. The ground floor has been converted into an exhibition hall honoring President Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionaries. The office on the first floor has been kept intact. There is a large rectangular table in the middle, eight chairs and a large armchair. A typewriter sits on a small table.

Quach Thi Huong Tra said, "There are two historic rooms on the second floor. One saw the formation of the first provisional government and the other welcomed the birth of the Declaration of Independence. There is another conference room where several important decisions of the Party and the State were made. "

An incense offering room was set up on the second floor which welcomed many Vietnamese and foreign dignitaries. Phan Thanh Tung, a Hanoi student, said, "This house has special significance for Vietnam. Here, I feel I’ve gone back in time to witness the important events that took place here. "

Seven decades have passed but the house at 48 Hang Ngang Street continues to keep fresh the memory of one of the most glorious chapters in the history of Vietnam and the birth of a document that has inspired other revolutions around the world.