Citadel of Saigon

Citadel of Saigon
Saigon, Vietnam
relic of old Citadel of Gia Dinh
Type	Square Vauban
Height	20 m (66 ft)
Site information
Controlled by	Nguyễn Dynasty
Condition	Destroyed by French Navy in 1859 siege
Site history
Built	1790
Built by	Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, Nguyễn Dynasty
In use	1790–1859
Materials	Granite, brick, earth (1835 version)
Demolished	1859
Battles/wars	Lê Văn Khôi revolt, Colonization of Cochinchina

The Citadel of Saigon (Vietnamese: Thành Sài Gòn [tʰâːn ʂâj ɣɔ̂n]) also known as the Citadel of Gia Dinh (Vietnamese: Thành Gia Định [tʰâːn ʒaː dîˀn]) was a late 18th-century fortress that stood in Saigon (also known in the 19th century as Gia Dinh, now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam from its construction in 1790 until its destruction in February 1859. It was destroyed in a French naval bombardment as part of the colonisation of southern Vietnam which became the French colony of Cochinchina. The citadel was only used once prior to its destruction, when it was captured by Le Van Khoi in 1833 and used in a revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng.

In the late 18th century, the city of Saigon was the subject of warfare between the Tây Sơn Dynasty, which had toppled the Nguyễn Lords who ruled southern Vietnam, and Nguyễn Ánh, the nephew of the last Nguyen Lord. The city changed hands multiple times before Nguyễn Ánh captured the city in 1789. Under the directions of French officers recruited for him, a Vauban style "octagonal" citadel was built in 1790. Thereafter, the Tây Sơn never attacked southern Vietnam again, and the military protection allowed Nguyen Anh to get a foothold in the region. He used this to build an administration and strengthen his forces for a campaign that united Vietnam in 1802, resulting in his coronation as Gia Long.