If you are excited about traveling to Vietnam, you should pay a visit to Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the biggest cathedral and the top attractive tourists’ destination in Ho Chi Minh City. You will be immersed in the perfect beauty of the classic French architecture which captivates an increasing number of visitors from every corner of the world every year.
Located at Number 1 Cong Truong Cong Xa Paris Street, right opposite the Saigon Central Post Office- the middle of chaotic Saigon in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral, representing splendid, majestic, gorgeous and magnificent beauty, deserves to be Masterpiece of Saigon architecture.
A long history
In the 19th century, a new type of religion was introduced into Vietnam by French. Since then, Catholicism has been flourishing than ever. A short time after the occupation of Gia Dinh-Saigon by French troops, French authorities built the cathedral as a place to organize ceremonies for the Catholic community. The cathedral was first built at street number 5, which was originally a place of ancient temple abandoned in Vietnam War.
In 1863, because of its small size, the vice Admiral-Mr. Bonard decided to construct the larger one to fulfill the ever-increasing demands of Catholics. Two years later, the wooden-made building was totally completed. However, due to the wooden materials, its construction was only on a small scale and easily damaged by adverse weather. Therefore, the idea of erecting a new larger church project evolved.
In 1877, among several outstanding architectural design proposals for the cathedral, Architect J.Bourard was selected to be the person planning the design and carrying out the construction. His architecture follows Gothic and Roman style with all the materials of erection exclusively coming from France. It was not until 1880 that it was finished. As estimated, the cost of the constructions was up to 2,500,000 francs.
Outstanding features of the architectural Masterpiece of Saigon
Experiencing over 130 years with political and historic upheavals, Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral was not destroyed by the war and still preserves its original colors of an elegant splendor structure from the early construction until now.
Exterior beauty
Situated in the middle square, the cathedral is the true landmark of the modern urban space with the gorgeous fresh red brick walls, no fences surrounding and adjacent premises. Especially, the external grandeur of the church is adorned by striking non-roof bell towers, being home to 12 large bells manufactured in France.
Directly in front of the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, the status of the Peace Virgin Mary placed at the center of the flower garden was elaborately constructed with precious marble by sculptor G. Ciocchetti in 1959 in Rome. After that, it was brought to Ho Chi Minh City and then put in front of the church. Hands of Virgin Mary keep the Globe with the Cross and her eyes look up the sky wishing for the peace. This exceptional architecture obviously attracts a great number of people, thereby turning Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral into one of the most popular destinations in the Southeast Asia.
Captivating interior
Taking a look inside, you will be amazed by its magnificence. Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is 91 meters height and 35.5 meters width. The large internal space consists of two main rows of rectangular pillars with 6 pillars each side portraying the 12 apostles. Spacious ceremony room can accommodate 1200 people. Particularly, there is a corridor behind the rows of pillars for placing altars and status which was made from precious white stones or monolithic marbles.
The most remarkable feature may be the glorious decoration of 56 glass windows depicting the Bible characters and events or the beautiful images of oriental graphics as well as patterns. The architecture of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is endowed with subtle lighting arrangement in the interior, which creates the sense of holy, solemn and highlights the exquisite splendor beauty. The interior provides a peaceful atmosphere which is opposite to the hustle and bustle streets. Another feature that makes Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral stand out from the crowd involves the oldest organ in the church. It is a sophisticated handmade production with 7,374 pipes, 110 real stops, five 56-key manuals and 32-key pedalboard serving rituals of church ceremonies.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is an ideal place for many couples to take wedding photos. Correspondingly, there are a lot of coffee shops and shopping centers around the cathedral namely Diamond Plaza, Coffee Bean, and Vincom Plaza.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is officially opened between 8 am and 11 am in the morning, 3 pm and 4 pm in the afternoon in the weekdays. If you want to know any information, English-speaking staff is always willing to answer and provide useful knowledge. You also do not have to pay money because it is free for everyone.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral- an architectural masterpiece makes a significant contribution to a unique image of Saigon. Over hundreds of years, it still plays an important role in the heart of both local people and foreign tourists.
If you have a chance to visit Vietnam, come here and enjoy this glorious but simple beauty.