12 Black and White Aerial Photographs of Saigon, Vietnam in 1955

Long before the skyscrapers started going up and throngs of motorbikes appeared on the streets, the southern hub was a quieter, greener, less congested place. This is clear as day in photographer Raymond Cauchetier’s collection of black-and-white aerial photos from 1955, which depict the empty streets and tree-lined boulevards of old Saigon with a dream-like quality.

From the Saigon River to Binh Tay Market to the wide thoroughfare of Nguyen Hue, everything looks a little more peaceful from above. Take a look at 1955 Saigon from above:

(Photos by Raymond Cauchetier, via Saigoneer)