The architectural relic, located at 21 Nguyen Van Troi Street (also known as the Ba Chieu house or the mansion of landowner Chieu), is one of the oldest and most beautiful preserved heritage homes in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province.

According to documents at the An Giang Provincial Museum, construction of the house began in 1911 and was completed in 1920. The property spans about 2,000 square meters. Its first owner was Tran Nhue, a well-known landowner of the time. His third son, landowner Tran Quang Chieu, later inherited the estate.

The architectural layout features a 200-square-meter main hall at the center, flanked by two auxiliary wings and a lush garden. Skilled builders and carpenters from across the country were hired to construct the home.

At first glance, many mistake it for a French-style villa, with its pink-toned lime-plastered brick walls and roughly 4-meter-high structure. The façade resembles the traditional “tam quan” (three-gate) style, a symbol of Rach Gia architecture.

Its foundation is made of rugged stones and once included an underground water tank, now filled in. The entrance features three staircases, and the house is surrounded by corridors connected through arched doorways. A decorative one-meter-high wall runs around the house, with four side entrances at the ends of each corridor.

Stepping inside, visitors are surprised by the distinctly traditional Vietnamese interior. Intricate wood carvings of dragons, phoenixes, apricot blossoms, and lotus flowers adorn the space, crafted by skilled artisans.

The main structure is a three-section wooden house with two wings, supported by six rows of columns. Each row has three main and two auxiliary columns made from ironwood, resting on stone bases. The floor is tiled with encaustic cement tiles, while the walls are built of thin bricks, and the roof features yin-yang tiles.

According to museum sources, after construction, the house served as the ancestral temple of the Tran family, a place for worship and hosting important guests. In 1946, the French colonial government requisitioned the house as the Rach Gia Provincial Court, converting the western wing (originally the family kitchen and living quarters) into a veterinary office.

Between 1970 and 1973, the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese regime used the mansion to house American advisers. After 1975, the property became state-owned.

Initially, it served as the headquarters of the Kien Giang Provincial Women's Union, later transitioning to house the provincial performing arts troupe. It is now home to the An Giang Provincial Museum.

According to Duong Thi Thao Nguyen, a museum guide, the site currently exhibits thousands of artifacts, photographs, and documents across six themed sections: Oc Eo culture in former Kien Giang Province, artifacts recovered from local seas, the Mac family’s contributions to the settlement of Ha Tien, the land and people of Kien Giang, the life and legacy of national hero Nguyen Trung Truc, and Kien Giang's military and civilian resistance during the French and American wars.

Among these, the Oc Eo culture exhibit stands out as a major highlight, featuring many rare and historically valuable artifacts. Carefully curated, the display leaves a strong impression on visitors and emphasizes the cultural importance of the region.

In 1990, the house was officially recognized as a national-level architectural and artistic heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Tran Tuyen