Saigon ward


Saigon is one of the 168 wards of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. It is the city's de facto downtown, central business district and administrative center, hosting the seat of the Ho Chi Minh City Hall. Saigon ward was established in 2025 by merging the entire Bến Nghé ward with parts of Nguyễn Thái Bình and Đa Kao wards from the former District 1, which was dissolved following Vietnam's 2025 administrative reforms.
Prior to the ward's establishment, Saigon was the historic and colloquial name for Ho Chi Minh City's central area, roughly corresponding to the former District 1. It was also the official name for the capital city of the State of Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the Republic of South Vietnam.

Geography

Ward of is located in the central core of Ho Chi Minh City, bordering:
According to Official Dispatch No. 2896/BNV-CQDP dated May 27, 2025, of the Ministry of Home Affairs, following administrative reorganization, the newly established Saigon Ward will have an area of 3.04 km², a population of 47,022 people, and a population density of 15,468 people/km². Saigon Ward was established according to the provisions of Article 6 of Resolution No. 76/2025/UBTVQH15 dated April 14, 2025, of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

History

Etymology

The first known human habitation in the area was either a Cham settlement called Baigaur, or a Cambodian city named Prey Nokor, which was a small fishing village. Over time, under the control of the Vietnamese, it was officially renamed Gia Định in 1698, a name that was retained until the time of the French conquest in the 1860s, when it adopted the name Sài Gòn, francized as Saïgon, although the city was still indicated as wiktionary:嘉 on Vietnamese maps written in chữ Hán until at least 1891.
Ho Chi Minh City has a history of administrative management of more than 300 years, since 1698 when Lord Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh established Gia Định Province. Over that time, the place has had many different names used to refer to the entire land or a part of the area, such as Saigon, Chợ Lớn, Gia ''Định, Bến Nghé, Phiên An, Phan Yên. Of which, Saigon is the most popular name in administrative management as well as community and cultural life.
In 1976, the National Assembly officially renamed Saigon–Gia Định as Ho Chi Minh City. Prior to the establishment of Saigon Ward in 2025, the name Saigon'' was no longer used in an official capacity, but is still widely used as a common name for the city. The area of Saigon ward then was Bến Nghé ward of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City and matched with the major of the historic town of Bến Nghé.

Establishment

During Vietnam's 2025 administrative reorganization at the commune level, the government of Ho Chi Minh City has advocated naming new wards and communes with letters instead of numbers, with considerations from the history of the land, familiarity, and cultural values. This policy is widely supported by the people.
To implement the above policy, District 1 proposed to name its central ward Saigon for the following reasons:
  • "As the historical, political, economic, and cultural center of Ho Chi Minh City, the ward is home to many symbolic architectural works such as the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Saigon Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City Museum, etc.
  • It is home to many important historical sites, with structures such as Ba Son Shipyard and the U.S. Consulate General.
  • More than 3/4 of the ward's perimeter is bordered by rivers and canals, from the Thị Nghè canal and Bến Nghé canal to the Saigon River, which affirms the characteristic river element in the history and culture of this land.
  • It is a bustling commercial and financial center, with significant streets such as Nguyễn Huệ, Đồng Khởi, Lê Lợi, Hàm Nghi, Hai Bà Trưng, etc.
  • Showing respect for historical values to help preserve local identity in the context of rapid urbanization.
  • The name Saigon is easily recognizable and familiar to both residents and international visitors, convenient for promoting the image, promoting the development of tourism, services, and urban economy.
  • Saigon is not only a place name, but also a symbol of pride, familiar memories, and responsibility to continue the traditional values of a young city, but rich in heritage that knows how to cherish its roots in the city's development journey."
On June 16, 2025, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units of Ho Chi Minh City in 2025. Accordingly, the entire Bến Nghé ward and parts of Đa Kao ward and Nguyễn Thái Bình ward will be reorganized into a new ward called Saigon 'Ward'.

Division

Saigon ward is divided into 14 quarters, including Ba Son Quarter and numbered quarters from 1 to 13, with 1 to 8 is part of former Bến Nghé ward, 9 is part of former Nguyễn Thái Bình ward and 10 to 13 is part of former Đa Kao.

Education

School

Some notable libraries located in the ward: