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Revision as of 12:46, 11 September 2008
Da Lat, or Dalat, (pop. 120,000 as of 1999, spelled Đà Lạt in Vietnamese) is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province in Vietnam. The town is located 1500 m (4,920 ft) above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern parts of the Central Highlands (in Vietnamese - Tây Nguyên). According to a myth from the French colonial era, the name derives from the acronym of the Latin phrase 'Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem' ("Giving Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others"), which the French colonial government used in their official emblem of Đà Lạt. In reality, the name derives from the language of the local ethnic group Lạt and its original meaning is "Stream of the Lạt," and the acronym above is in fact a backcronym. In Vietnam, Đà Lạt is a popular tourist destination - highly appreciated for its temperate climate, beautiful sights such as waterfalls and lakes and its abundance of flowers and vegetables. It is the location of the Novotel Dalat (formerly Dalat Hotel) and Sofitel Dalat Palace (formerly Dalat Palace built in 1922).
History
During the 1890s, explorers in the area (including the noted bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin , protégé of the renowned French chemist Louis Pasteur), which was then part of the French territory of Cochinchina, asked the French governor-general Paul Doumer to create a resort center in the highlands. The governor agreed. The original intended site for the hill station was Dankia but Étienne Tardif, a member of the road-building expedition of 1898-99 proposed the current site instead. In 1907, the first hotel was built. Urban planning was carried out by Ernest Hébrard[1].
The French endowed the city with villas and boulevards, and its Swiss charms remain today. Hébrard included the requisite health complex, golf course, parks, schools and homes but no industry. The legacy of boarding schools where children from the whole of Indochina were taught by French priests, nuns and expatriates lasted until the end of French rule. There were seminaries of Jesuits (such as Pius X Pontifical College) and other orders. The elite Vietnamese National Military Academy graduated its first class of future leaders in 1950. There was also an aviator school at Cam Ly airport.
During World War II, Đà Lạt was the capital of the Federation of Indochina, from 1939 1945.
In the mid-1950s, the Vietnamese Scout Association established their national training grounds at Đà Lạt.
The only major involvement Đà Lạt had during the 2nd Indochina war was during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Here fierce battles raged from Jan 31st to Feb 9th 1968 (about 10-11 days total). Most of the fighting took place between the South Vietnamese ARVN and the VC forces. Defeats and victories changed hands several times during the fighting in Đà Lạt. However, on Feb 9, 1968, the South Vietnamese ARVN were able to regain control of Đà Lạt. It is stated about 200 VC had lost their lives during this battle. While ARVN forces were known to have significantly fewer deaths, the injured list grew steadily throughout the engagement.
Architecture
Architecture in Đà Lạt based on the period of French colonization. There is built in 1938 Dominant de Marie Church and Convent, which offers a panoramic view of the city. The Convent is a home to Roman Catholic nuns of the Mission of Charity.
A notable exception to the usual architecture in Đà Lạt is Hang Nga's guesthouse, popularly known as the "Crazy House"[2][3]. This is a complex of unconventional, misshapen concrete structures serving as both a tourist attraction and a place to stay. It is also decorated with animal figures with glowing eyes, wire spiderwebs and other, equally unexpected things. The designer and namesake, Hang Nga, holds a PhD in architecture from Moscow State University.
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Hang Nga's guesthouse -
Hang Nga's guesthouse -
Hang Nga's guesthouse -
Hallway in Hang Nga's guesthouse -
View from Hang Nga's guesthouse, showing some of Đà Lạt's more conventional architecture
Environmental features
Đà Lạt is home to the manmade, 5 km² Xuan Huong Lake. The average temperature is 17°C, and does not exceed 25°C in the hottest season [citation needed]. Early mornings, the city arises to mystic fog over the lake. Its temperate climate is ideal for agricultural production. Đà Lạt is renowned for its orchids, roses, vegetables and fruits. There is a nascent wine-making and flower growing industry in the region.
References
- ^ Crossette, Barbarạ The Great Hill Stations of Asia. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998. pp 207-219.
- ^ VietNamNet - Da Lat’s “Crazy House”
- ^ Crazy House - Da Lat, Vietnam - Odd-Shaped Buildings on Waymarking.com
External links and references
