In 1858, French naval forces opened fire on Da Nang, launching an invasion of Vietnam. By 1867, the French had occupied the South’s six provinces (Bien Hoa, Gia Dinh, Dinh Tuong, Vinh Long, An Giang, Ha Tien). The following year, French authorities selected a location in the center of Saigon (the present site of the Independence Palace) to build a residence for the Governor-General of Indochina. The palace was known as Norodom Palace.

With the first stone laid by Governor-General La Grandière, construction began on February 23, 1868 and was completed in 1871.