VietNamNet Bridge – A French colonial villa with three facades in District 3 in HCM City is vacant after it was sold for almost VND700 billion (nearly $35 million).

The French-style villa was built in the early 1900s, totaling over 2,900sq, fronting the three roads of Vo Van Tan, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, and Nguyen Thi Dieu in District 3. 

The villa, named Phuong Nam, was previously owned by seven people but it was in the name of two old women of nearly 80 years old, Mrs. Dang Kim Chi and Mrs. Nguyen Kim Sa Dang. 

The women initially asked for $47 million for the 2,900-sqm, three-faceted building but finally they sold it for $35 million. This is the most expensive villa in Saigon.

The villa was built during the French colonial period with construction materials reportedly brought from France and other European countries. 

It took dozens of highly skilled builders nearly a year to finish the structure. The property is thus called the “French house” by local residents. After more than a hundred years, the house retains its French architecture and is in good condition.

The building is furnished with many antiques, some worth billions of dong (hundreds of thousands of USD). The former owners said they were most concerned that the new owner of the villa would demolish the building to replace it with a modern one. Saigon would thus lose an example of architecture with rich history, they said.

According to the Center of Planning Information, this villa is located in an area for construction works for commercial and service functions and for low-rise apartments (less than eight floors).

The villa is now vacant.

Photo: Zing

Na Son