King Palace – Palace 1 Dalat

King Palace – Palace 1 Da Lat about 4km from the city center, is located on a wind swept high hill surrounded by immense, romantic pine trees. King Palace is considered one of the unique architectural buildings deeply marking the neo-classical European style, both magnificent, ancient and attractive that stirs human heart.

Palace 1 Da Lat

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Overview of King Palace – Palace 1 Dalat

This palace used to be a villa of a French millionaire who was also an official – Robert Clément Bourgery. He had been the boss of electricity factory in Shanghai. The palace was built before 1940s in the middle of the pine tree forest. After that, in 1949, King Bao Dai bought it in August 1949 and renewed it. Since then, it has become a general headquarters and an office for his subordinate officers. Until 1956, Mr. Ngo Dinh Diem used it as a private palace for President. It wad upgraded with tunnel and some more working rooms for his subordinate officers. The tunnel was also the emergency exit which opened a small heliport. Palace 1 is one of the original architecture products of Dalat which expresses the new-classis style of the Europe.

Tourists can also discover the life and workplace of King Bao Dai inside the palace

From the center of Da Lat, crossing Tran Quoc Toan – Ho Tung Mau – Tran Hung Dao then Tran Quang Dieu the street that leads you to Palace Da Lat. Palace I was built since 1940 by a French millionaire named Robert Clément Bourgery. After the French returned to power and established the royal autonomous region, Emperor Bao Dai had used it as headquarters and working place of officials under his authority. After President Ngo Dinh Diem’s tenure, the Palace was still used as a retreat of other heads of state of the old regime until 1975. After years fallen into oblivion, recently, Palace I Da Lat resort was restored, embellished and put into operation by Hoan Cau Da Lat Joint-Stock Company. Skirting the entrance is the line of old trees casting its shade, adorned with many flowers typical of the city of fog, and has created a wonderful feeling, difficult to describe if you once set foot here. Nguyen Thi Ngan a tourist from Ho Chi Minh city said: “For many years I have just heard about the scenery of Palace I, presently l see with my own eyes this work, the path leading to Palace I is quite picturesque”. With the architecture deeply bearing European Architecture style, going to Palace l, in addition to being immersed n the romantic, natural scenery, tourists can also discover the life and workplace of King Bao Dai inside the palace. If the main hall is where officials waited to be received by the king, the left part of the hall is where royal guests were received, then he right part of the hall is the room of officials.

Welcome Palace 1

Garden of Palace 1

A special feature of this palace is the secret tunnel system

Next to Queen Nam Phuong’s room is the working office and relaxation of King Bao Dai and opposite is King Bao Dai’s bedroom. A special feature of this palace is the secret tunnel system. With design from the higher floor of the Palace, with staircases going down to the working office, the living room to the backyard to reach the heliport, the tunnel was built by Ngo Dinh Diem when he became President in 1956 and used as exit, leading to the heliport. Behind the building is a garage to keep King Bao Dai’s cars; the garden with path leading the forest for hunting having rest stop with a system of fountains, natural pool has made up of a beautiful, luxurious and complete complex Below the hill is the tunnel entrance leading to the small heliport a unique architecture that not everyone knows. Nguyen Minh Tan a tourist from Tien Giang province said: “Palace I is indeed a beautiful architectural work, so far l’ve just sightseen, but I also learn many interesting and useful things about the working place of King Bao Dai – the last king of Vietnam feudal dynasties.