Dien Bien Phu is 474 km from Hanoi along National Highway 279 and 6. It borders Dien Bien Dong district to the southeast and Dien Bien to the other directions.

 

 

 

Dien Bien Phu is a provincial city of Dien Bien province in Vietnam’s northwest. The city lies in Muong Thanh valley with approximately 20 km in length and 6 km in width. This is why it is also known as “Dien Bien basin”. Dien Bien Phu is regarded as a big bordering city because it is only 35 km far from Lao border-gate.

 

 

Dien Bien city is well-known for Dien Bien Phu battle in 1954 between Vietnam army (led by General Vo Nguyen Giap) and French army (commanded by General Christian de Castries). The battle had a significant meaning in putting an end French’s role in Indochinese peninsula and resulted in the agreement on dividing Vietnam into 2 parts: South and North. The Dien Bien Phu battle is considered as the greatest victory of Southeast countries against an European power. In this battle, Viet Minh forces transported their artillery to surrounding hills of Dien Bien Phu base and attacked the flank of French’s army. Thanks to the huge troops and logistics , Viet Minh created one of the most important victories in history of Vietnam war.

 

 

Dien Bien Phu Battlefield was witness to Vietnam’s historical victory over France 62 years ago, which sent shockwaves reverberating around the world and helped end the nation’s nine-year war of resistance against the French colonialists. Dien Bien Phu historical relic complex was officially ranked as national historical site on 28 April 1962. The statute of Dien Bien Phu victory was built on occasion of 50th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory (2004). The avenue 279, where took place the historical combat, is the main and biggest street of Dien Bien Phu city.

 

 

Twenty-three relic sites have been added to the Dien Bien Phu Battlefield Relics Complex in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, lifting the total number of constituent sites in the complex to 45.

 

 

In 1961, Dien Bien was one of the 62 tourist attractions in the north recognized as a national relic site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It was further recognized as a special national relic site under a decision signed by the Prime Minister in 2009.