President Ho Chi Minh Monument

President Ho Chi Minh Monument is the architectural highlight of the vast space of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant and a must-see stop on the tour of the plant. At the same time, the monument also stands independently as a complete and monumental work of art.

The monument was completed on January 8, 1997, and inaugurated on the 67th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The entire structure is 18 meters high, with the statue itself measuring 13.5 meters (from the feet in rubber sandals to the top of the head), and the pedestal (designed as waves, clouds, and sky) 4.5 meters. The statue weighs about 400 tons, made of ultra-high-performance concrete and granite concrete, researched and produced by the Institute of Building Materials according to the design requirements. It was built on the top of Ong Tuong Hill at an elevation of about 186 meters above sea level.

The hill is called Ong Tuong Hill because from afar, it looks like a giant elephant lying down, stretching its trunk to drink water from the Da River. From the parking area to reach the main square of the monument, visitors must climb 79 steps, symbolizing the 79 springs (years) of Uncle Ho’s life.

The author of the monument is sculptor Nguyen Vu An, a lecturer at Hanoi Architectural University, while the architectural design of the monument square was carried out by Russian architect Serebriansk. The monument satisfies requirements in terms of fine arts, landscape, architecture, and profound cultural and humanitarian values.

The idea of constructing the monument at the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant originated from President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to the Party Committee and people of Phu Tho Province. During the trip, Uncle Ho also visited the Socialist Youth Labor School in Hoa Binh, now located in Tan Hoa Ward. At that time, it was flood season, and the locals made a large bamboo raft to carry him across the river. Standing on the raft, Uncle pointed at the Da River and said:
“We must turn the water enemy into a water resource. The ultimate goal is to conquer the river for the long-term benefit of the nation.”

Therefore, the statue of Uncle Ho with his hand pointing down toward the river symbolizes this great vision, which the authors embedded into the monument.

Following his teachings and the determination:
“Nothing is difficult / If the heart is strong / Mountains and seas can be moved / With will, success will come”,
with the assistance of the Soviet Union, the entire nation united with extraordinary spirit, determination, and resilience to overcome hardships and sacrifices, determined to tame the fierce Da River. As a result, the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant was completed on schedule and with quality, transforming the immense power of water into abundant electricity to serve the country’s development.