VietNamNet Bridge – The mausoleum will be closed during this time for periodical maintenance, announced the mausoleum management board.

The mausoleum will open again from November 7, 2012.

According to the board, nearly 48,000 people, including over 44,000 Vietnamese and nearly 4,000 foreigners paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum on September 1-2. The number of visitors on these days is estimated to rise by 5 percent over the same days of last year.

The mausoleum welcomes around 5,000-6,000 visitors per day. It opens all days in the week, except for Monday and Friday.

Construction work began on September 2, 1973, and the mausoleum was formally inaugurated on August 29, 1975.

The structure is 21.6 meters high and 41.2 meters wide. Flanking the mausoleum are two platforms with seven steps for parade viewing. The plaza in front of the mausoleum is divided into 240 green squares separated by pathways. The gardens surrounding the mausoleum have nearly 250 different species of plants and flowers, all from different regions of Vietnam.

Compiled by S. Ha