Thousands of visitors flocked to the Independence Palace at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, on April 30.

The Independence Palace, also known as Reunification Palace, was first built between 1868 and 1871 on the site of the former Norodom Palace, a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. The building was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam war. 

Veterans take photo in front of the Tank 390, which was one of the two that slammed through the gates of the Independence Palace at around noon on April 30, 1975, marking the fall of Saigon.

"On this day 44 years ago, we participated in the parade at this place in the presence of former President Ton Duc Thang. It was an unforgettable memory," said veteran Tran Trong Tuy.

A boy pictured in front of the Tank 843.

The Conference Room, which hosted meetings, receptions and the launch of the cabinet of the former Saigon regime.

Visitors take a picture of the UH1 helicopter placed on the terrace. This is a fighter aircraft manufactured and equipped for the U.S. troops in 1959 and used in the Vietnam war in 1962.

Foreign tourists were among the Reunification Day visitors to the Independence Palace.

As part of the national holiday, hundreds of people gathered to watch the annual Ho Chi Minh Television cycling race pass by.

The city administration also planned other activities including artistic street lighting and a photo exhibition on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street.

Ho Chi Minh City will have firework displays to mark the 44th anniversary of Reunification Day from 9 p.m to 9.15 p.m on April 30.

There will be two high-altitude firework displays: one over the Thu Thiem Tunnel that links Districts 1 and 2; and another at the 81-storeyed building Landmark 81 in Binh Thanh District. A low-altitude display will take place at the Dam Sen Park in District 11.