A picture of the Grand Lyceé Yersin (now the Da Lat College of Education) taken by Tran Van Chau from a helicopter in 1960.

The famous Central Highlands resort town of Da Lat commenced celebrating its 115th birthday Wednesday with a cultural festival.

The Da Lat government said it would hold a vegetable festival to showcase various kinds of fresh vegetables grown in the area.

Also opened Wednesday was an exhibition named Da Lat xua va nay (Da Lat Now and Then) by the famous Xuan Huong Lake.

The exhibit features pictures, relics and documents which tell the 115-year history of Da Lat since it was founded by bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin in 1893.

Visitor Phan Thi Thanh Loan said the exhibit helped her verify the stories her grandparents told her about the town.

Another exhibition, which opened Tuesday, features 60 photos depicting the town’s immense beauty and history, as well as its development over time.

The photos, taken by renowned photographers including Nguyen Ba Mau, Dang Van Thong and French photographer Renaudin Esperance, depict spectacular mountains shrouded in the mist, imposing villas rising out of the lush foliage of pine trees and simple horse-drawn carriages.

Aerial photographs by US-based photographer Tran Van Chau are also on display.

Distinguished historian Duong Trung Quoc, Secretary General of the Vietnam History Association, said the exhibition offered a fascinating, cross-generational glimpse into the development of the charming town.

The event will run until December 21 at Sammy Dalat Hotel located at 1 Le Hong Phong Street in Da Lat Town.

Reported by Lam Vien-Gia Binh