Vinh
Encyclopedia
Vinh is a city in Vietnam
. It is located in the northern half of the country, and is the capital of Nghệ An Province. Politically, Vinh is a municipality within Nghệ An Province. On September 5th, 2008, it was upgraded from Grade-II city to Grade-I city, the fourth Grade-I city of Vietnam after Hai Phong, Da Nang
and Huế
. It is the important city in the North Central Coast
al region.
At various times, Vinh has been of considerable military and political significance. The Vietnamese nation began in the north, and only gradually expanded to cover its current territories — as such, Vinh was sometimes seen as a "gateway to the south". The Tây Sơn dynasty (1788–1802) is believed to have considered Vinh as a possible capital of Vietnam, but the short duration of the dynasty meant that any plans did not come to fruition. Tây Sơn interest in the city did, however, result in considerable construction and development there. Under French rule of Vietnam, Vinh was further developed as an industrial centre, and became well known for its factories.
The city of Vinh was once the site of a number of significant historic sites, particularly an ancient citadel. Over the years, however, Vinh has been extensively damaged in a number of wars. In the 1950s, fighting between the French colonial powers and the Viet Minh
resistance forces destroyed much of the city, and further damage was done by United States bombing in the Vietnam War
. As such, little of the original city remains today. The reconstruction of Vinh borrowed heavily on Soviet and East German ideas about town planning — the city is noted for its wide streets and its rows of concrete apartment blocks.
Historically, Vinh and its surrounding areas have often been important centres of rebellion and revolutionary activity. In the 19th century and the early 20th century, the city was the centre of several prominent uprisings against the French. In addition, a number of notable revolutionary figures were born in or near the city of Vinh, including Nguyễn Du, Phan Bội Châu
, Trần Trọng Kim
, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
, and Hồ Chí Minh
himself. Hồ Chí Minh's birthplace, some 14 kilometres to the west of Vinh, is a significant tourist attraction for many Vietnamese.
authorities after the war, and is the site of an important festival on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month
. Quyet Mountain, on the edge of Vinh, is used as a peaceful retreat from the city, with visitors climbing four hundred steps to the summit. From the summit, the whole of Vinh may be seen, along with the river and farmland surrounding it. The mountain is covered with pine trees, although the forest is still not completely recovered from its destruction by bombing during the war. Other places of interest include the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum (commemorating the major Nghe Tinh uprising against the French in the 1930s) and the Cua Lo
beach resort (a popular destination for citizens of Hanoi
). Cua Lo is one of the largest stretches of beautiful white beach with very few foreign tourists and great seafood specialities.
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It is located in the northern half of the country, and is the capital of Nghệ An Province. Politically, Vinh is a municipality within Nghệ An Province. On September 5th, 2008, it was upgraded from Grade-II city to Grade-I city, the fourth Grade-I city of Vietnam after Hai Phong, Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
and Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
. It is the important city in the North Central Coast
Bac Trung Bo
Bắc Trung Bộ is one of the regions of Vietnam. It consists of six provinces: Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế...
al region.
Statistics
The population of Vinh was estimated in 2009 to be 435,208 people. The service sector comprises the largest part of Vinh’s economy, with around 55% of the working population being employed in this area. This is followed by the industrial sector (around 30%) and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors (around 15%). Vinh is an important transportation hub, having a key position on the route between the northern and southern parts of the country, and is also a notable port.History
Vinh was originally known as Ke Van. Later, this successively became Ke Vinh, Vinh Giang, Vinh Doanh, and then Vinh Thi. Eventually, in 1789, the official name became simply Vinh, probably under European influence. The name has remained the same ever since.At various times, Vinh has been of considerable military and political significance. The Vietnamese nation began in the north, and only gradually expanded to cover its current territories — as such, Vinh was sometimes seen as a "gateway to the south". The Tây Sơn dynasty (1788–1802) is believed to have considered Vinh as a possible capital of Vietnam, but the short duration of the dynasty meant that any plans did not come to fruition. Tây Sơn interest in the city did, however, result in considerable construction and development there. Under French rule of Vietnam, Vinh was further developed as an industrial centre, and became well known for its factories.
The city of Vinh was once the site of a number of significant historic sites, particularly an ancient citadel. Over the years, however, Vinh has been extensively damaged in a number of wars. In the 1950s, fighting between the French colonial powers and the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
resistance forces destroyed much of the city, and further damage was done by United States bombing in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. As such, little of the original city remains today. The reconstruction of Vinh borrowed heavily on Soviet and East German ideas about town planning — the city is noted for its wide streets and its rows of concrete apartment blocks.
Historically, Vinh and its surrounding areas have often been important centres of rebellion and revolutionary activity. In the 19th century and the early 20th century, the city was the centre of several prominent uprisings against the French. In addition, a number of notable revolutionary figures were born in or near the city of Vinh, including Nguyễn Du, Phan Bội Châu
Phan Boi Chau
Phan Bội Châu was a pioneer of Vietnamese 20th century nationalism. In 1903, he formed a revolutionary organization called the “Reformation Society” ....
, Trần Trọng Kim
Tran Trong Kim
Trần Trọng Kim was a Vietnamese scholar and politician who served as the Prime Minister of the short-lived Empire of Vietnam, a puppet state created by Imperial Japan in 1945...
, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai
Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai is an urban ward of Bac Kan Township, Bắc Kạn Province, in North Vietnam. The ward named after the revolutionist madam Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai....
, and Hồ Chí Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
himself. Hồ Chí Minh's birthplace, some 14 kilometres to the west of Vinh, is a significant tourist attraction for many Vietnamese.
Notable sites
Other notable tourist attractions are the Hong Son Temple and Quyet Mountain. Hong Son Temple is one of the few large temples to escape the closures implemented by the CommunistCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
authorities after the war, and is the site of an important festival on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month
Lunar month
In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two identical syzygies . There are many variations. In Middle-Eastern and European traditions, the month starts when the young crescent moon becomes first visible at evening after conjunction with the Sun one or two days before that evening...
. Quyet Mountain, on the edge of Vinh, is used as a peaceful retreat from the city, with visitors climbing four hundred steps to the summit. From the summit, the whole of Vinh may be seen, along with the river and farmland surrounding it. The mountain is covered with pine trees, although the forest is still not completely recovered from its destruction by bombing during the war. Other places of interest include the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum (commemorating the major Nghe Tinh uprising against the French in the 1930s) and the Cua Lo
Cua Lo
Cua Lo is a town district of Nghe An Province, in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 46,185. The district covers an area of 28 km². The district capital lies at Cua Lo.-References:...
beach resort (a popular destination for citizens of Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
). Cua Lo is one of the largest stretches of beautiful white beach with very few foreign tourists and great seafood specialities.