| Grand Palais de l'Exposition | |
|---|---|
| Native name Nhà Đấu xảo (Vietnamese) | |
 | |
| Location | Hoàn Kiếm District,Hanoi,Vietnam |
| Coordinates | 21°01′21″N105°50′39″E / 21.02256°N 105.84418°E /21.02256; 105.84418 |
| Area | 41 acres (17 hectares) |
| Built for | Hanoi Exhibition |
| Architect | Adolphe Bussy |
| Architectural styles | French Colonial,Neoclassical |
  Location of Grand Palais de l'Exposition in Vietnam | |
TheGrand Palais orGrand Palais de l'Exposition (Vietnamese:Nhà Đấu xảo) was anexhibition andtrade fair complex inHanoi,Vietnam. It was built for the 1902Hanoi Exhibition world trade fair, as the city became the capital ofFrench Indochina. It was completely destroyed by American airstrikes inWorld War II.
Hanoi became the capital ofFrench Indochina in 1902 replacingSaigon. Earlier activities to mark the change included a festival on 26 February 1902 attended by emperorThành Thái and thegovernor generalPaul Doumer[1] and the opening of thePaul Doumer Bridge (now Long Biên Bridge).[1] Paul Doumer also wanted to host a large-scaled world expo in Hanoi.[2]The building was designed byAdolphe Bussy and was completed in 1902 prior to the fair, which lasted between November 1902 and February 1903.[3] The high construction cost of the exhibition palace and the long duration of the fair left Hanoi's budget in deficit for a decade.[2]
After the fair, the complex became theMaurice Long Museum, the first and largest economics museum inFrench Indochina. It was named after the 1920s' Governor-General of Indochina.[4]
When the Japanese took over Vietnam, they based their military and supply in the palace. Later, American air raids at the end of World War II completely destroyed the building.[3] The only remnants of the palace are two big bronze lion statues, which are now placed in front of the Vietnam Central Circus building in the Reunification Park inHai Bà Trưng District.[4]
The modern site of the palace now stands theFriendship Cultural Palace (Vietnamese:Cung Văn hoá Hữu nghị), a concert venue in southernHoàn Kiếm District. The concert hall was built by theSoviets.
The site of the Grand Palais was on Boulevard Gambetta in the French Quarter south ofHoàn Kiếm lake near theCentral Station. The modern site is on Trần Hưng Đạo street inHoàn Kiếm District, a major avenue hosting several foreign embassies, state ministries and corporate headquarters. The French Embassy is located three blocks away from the site, on the same avenue.
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