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Notre Dame Ho Chi Minh City. Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam

Dame de Saigon (Notre-Dame Cathedral Saig on) in Ho Chi Minh City is a functioning Catholic church from the 19th century. It is sometimes called Notre Dame de Paris in Saigon because it is a replica of France's Notre Dame Cathedral. Today it is the main center of Christian religion in the city and a popular destination among tourists.

On this page I will give a detailed description of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Saigon, talk about its history, appearance and interior. You will learn how Notre Dame Cathedral in Vietnam differs from its French prototype. In addition, at the end of the article there is information about other interesting attractions nearby, as well as some useful recommendations for tourists.

History of the cathedral

Notre Dame de Saigon is located in the central part of Ho Chi Minh City - on the Square of the Paris Commune, where citizens like to relax. Today the cathedral is one of the most ancient buildings in the area. Compared to the 22-story Diamond Plaza shopping center, it looks very tiny. However, in the old days, it was Notre Dame that towered above other buildings.

The history of the cathedral began in 1876, when the French governor Marie-Jules Dupre announced the start of a competition for the construction of a Catholic cathedral. According to the plan of the French colonists, a large Christian temple in the city center was supposed to become an ideological symbol of the greatness of Western civilization in this region and “eclipse” the numerous Buddhist pagodas in the surrounding area. The winner of the competition was the project of the architect Jules Bourard in the neo-Romanesque style interspersed with Gothic. The author subsequently actively supervised the construction.

Initially, three possible sites for the construction of the cathedral were chosen:

On the corner of what is now Le Duan Boulevard and Hai Ba Trung Street;
In Kinh Lon - Nguyen Hu Boulevard area;
At the intersection of Dong Khoi and Ng uyen Du streets, where it was built.

It is interesting to note that all building materials were imported from France.

Thus, the outer wall of the temple is made of Marseille red brick. This fact is indicated by the presence of the marking “Gui chard Carvin, Marseille St André France” on the slabs. Some of them are marked “Wang -Tai Saigon” - these are newer locally produced materials. They were used during the partial restoration of the cathedral from the consequences of the Second World War.

Despite the lack of special protective additives, French brick has proven itself well in the hot and humid climate of Vietnam. Over the almost 150-year history of the building, the material has not faded under the sun and retains the same appearance as in the 19th century. The thickness of the walls is, on average, 65 centimeters, and this provides the interior with almost complete sound and heat insulation.

Stained glass windows and columns, along with other complex interior elements, were also made in France (in Chartre) and delivered ready-made to the construction site. Some of the stained glass windows were destroyed by shelling during the Second World War, and today we can see copies of them.

The roof of Notre Dame consists of three types of tiles:

“yin-yang” for the low part of the roof;
"fish scale" for medium height;
typical European roof tiles that adorn the top of the cathedral.

By the way, the construction team also consisted entirely of visiting Frenchmen.

The first stone of the foundation was laid by Bishop Isidore Colombe on October 7, 1877. Construction took approximately 2.5 years and was officially completed on April 11, 1880, Easter Day, with a consecration ceremony. The new governor, Charles Le Muret De Villers, was already present.

When you explore the temple, pay attention to the memorial plaque, which shows the name of the creator, the start and end dates of construction. The cost of construction was a whopping 2.5 million francs at that time. The entire amount was allocated from the French budget, which is why Notre Dame initially received the status of a State Cathedral.

In 1895, two bell towers with a height of 57.6 meters were completed. On the top of the towers we can see crosses 3.5 meters high and 2 meters wide, each weighing 600 kg. Thus, the total height of the cathedral in its current form reaches 60.5 meters.

According to the original plan, the architectural composition of the building was crowned with a bronze statue at the entrance. It depicted the Bishop of Adran, Pig neau de Behaine, leading the arm of Prince Cảnh, son of Emperor Gi a Long. The statue stood until 1945, when it was torn down. However, the pedestal has been preserved.

In 1959, Vietnam formalized relations with the Vatican. This became a new impetus for the spread of Christianity in the country. That year, Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien attended the Marian Congress at the Vatican and commissioned a statue of the Virgin Mary for the Ho Chi Minh Temple.

The 4-meter tall white marble statue, made in Rome by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Ciochetti, arrived in the city on February 6, 1959. It was immediately installed on a pedestal, and a day later it was solemnly presented in the presence of the Roman Cardinal Agadzhanyan. Along the way, the cathedral received the name Notre-Dame de Saigon. Subsequently, the Vatican recognized it as a basilica, and today the temple officially bears the name Notre-Dame Cathedral.

In 2005, it was announced that the Virgin Mary was streaming myrrh, and thousands of pilgrims flocked to Ho Chi Minh City. For some time, the city became the object of attention of the Christian Catholic community around the world.

Why is the cathedral interesting?

A number of travelers and experts believe that the cathedral is emphatically simple and is not of significant interest. Especially against the backdrop of the many vibrant Buddhist pagodas of Ho Chi Minh City. But there are a number of good reasons why you need to devote time to the building. By the way, a detailed inspection will take you no more than 1 hour.

So, here are some interesting facts about Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon:

- The above-mentioned statue of the Virgin Mary is located in front of the entrance. The 4-meter figure of a woman holds a small globe in her hands (can be interpreted as a symbol of the spread of the Christian faith) and steps on a snake with her foot. The last symbol in the Christian faith means the victory of good over evil. At the feet of the statue is a box in which parishioners can place prayers.

- There are 6 rings on the bell tower. Each of them corresponds to a specific note, with the note “F” missing. On weekdays you can hear two of them ringing (at 05:00 and 17:30), on weekends three sound at the same time. All 6 bells of Notre Dame ring only on the day of the Nativity of Christ. The bells are controlled electronically and the sound can be heard within a radius of 10 km.
- The elegant simplicity of the external design of the cathedral is fully compensated by the interior decoration. Here you will see luxurious stained glass windows and arches, as well as frescoes with biblical scenes that occupy the entire space of the walls and ceiling. The central place here is occupied by an altar made of expensive pure white marble with carved statues of angels.

During the service, church guests can hear choral singing and playing the church organ. This is one of the two oldest instruments in Vietnam, which is designed in a special way: the sound is clearly audible in any part of the room, but it does not extend beyond the temple. The structure of 10-centimeter aluminum pipes has dimensions of 3x4x2 meters (height, width, length).
Notre-Dame de Saigon has been fully electrified since its construction. You won't see candles here; they have never been used.
The clock on the front was made in Switzerland in 1887. They are suspended between two bell towers at a height of 15 meters. Weighs 1 ton.

How to get here

Address of Notre Dame de Saigon Cathedral— 01 Công xã Paris, Bến Nghé, Quận 1 , Hồ Chí Minh.

It is within walking distance from any point in the city center, and its towers are visible from afar almost everywhere on the approach to the Place de la Commune.

Also for reference: to the right of the main entrance, across the road (Côngxã Paris) from the cathedral is the Central Post Office (Saig on Central Post Office) and McDonald's, to the left (west of the temple) is Cong Vien Park.

There are several bus stops in the vicinity of the Cathedral:

Stop Di amond Plaza on Le Duan Street - opposite the shopping center of the same name (route 18). Walking west along the street for 1-2 minutes, you will see the back of the cathedral on the left side.
Stop "Cathedral" (1 Côngxã Paris) directly under the building - buses No. 30, 36, 49, 120 go here.
Stop "Children's Hospital No. 2" (Bệnhviện Nhi Đồng 2) - routes No. 3, 19, 45. After getting off the bus, walk 2-3 minutes west along Nguyễn Du or Hai Ba Trang street with a turn to Nguyen Van Binh.

Follow them and you will quickly find the building you are looking for.

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What else can you see nearby?

The cathedral is not the only attraction in this area. In its vicinity you can find many other interesting places along the way.

The largest Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City. It is considered one of the most important examples of modern Asian architecture. The structure was erected in 1964-1971 according to the design of the architect Nguyen Ba Lang and was named after the great preacher of Buddhism in the 12th century. The pagoda is heavily influenced by Japanese style; The biggest impression is made by the 40-meter main concrete tower, which is a chapel. This is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from other regions of Southeast Asia and the whole world - a large residential complex for them with all conditions has been created in the adjacent territory.

Address: 339 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, phường 7, Quận 3

The museum is known for the largest exhibition in the country dedicated to the war with the United States of 1965-1975, and was previously called the "Museum of American War Crimes." The exhibition consists of 8 thematic zones, in which attention is paid to wartime equipment (including American captured equipment), the organization of the Vietnamese army and the detention of prisoners, a detailed description of the consequences of using various types of ammunition (with photographs and text descriptions), instruments of torture and execution. Total - 1,2000 square meters of area.

Address: 28 Võ Văn Tần Phường 6 Quận 3, Phường 6, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 07:30 – 12:00, 13:30 – 17:00 (daily)
Entry price: $0.66

The largest city market where you can buy food at an affordable price, along with original local souvenirs. Founded in the 16th century, it acquired its current appearance in the middle of the 11th century. Be prepared for the active behavior of sellers who constantly offer their goods to passers-by. You need to bargain with them, which often allows you to reduce the price by 2-3 times. At the same time, there are quite a lot of shops with fixed prices. A traditional Vietnamese souvenir doll will cost you an average of $2, a magnet – $0.35.

Interesting fact: it is considered one of the most expensive markets in the world in terms of the cost of renting retail space.

Address: Bến Thành, Quận 1
Opening hours: 07:00 – 19:00 (day market); 17:00 – 00:00 (night market)

Exhibition of lacquer products at the Tai Shon factory

Lacquerware is one of the traditional Vietnamese crafts, whose traditions date back to the 15th century. At the exhibition of lacquer products you will be able to see the best examples of handicrafts by local craftsmen over the years, as well as the process of making exquisite lacquered vases, boxes and other interior items.

Address: 94 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Đa Kao, Quận 1

The post office building in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the main and most striking evidence of the French colonial presence in the city. Made in a typical French style influenced by the works of Gustav Eiffel, and at the same time combines a number of trends in Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Built in 1886-1891, the wall paintings in the rooms deserve special attention.

Address: 2 Côngxã Paris Bến Nghé Quận 1
Opening hours: 07:00 – 19:00 (Monday – Friday), 07:00 – 18:00 (Saturday), 08:00 – 18:00 (Sunday)

A traditional Vietnamese art form dedicated primarily to everyday themes, it is considered a significant object of world cultural heritage. The history of the genre in Vietnam goes back at least 1,000 years. The main concept revolves around a boy doll named Teu, who narrates scenes from the life of the Vietnamese that come to life in other dolls.

Please note that it is better to buy theater tickets in advance - there is always a great demand.

Address: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Bến Thành, Quận 1
Opening hours: sessions at 17:00 and 18:30 (daily)
Price: 5$

A grandiose building in the Gothic style, built at the end of the 11th-10th century in accordance with the model of the Grand Opera and the Petit Palais in Paris. This is the largest theater in the city with 1,800 seats, where the main theatrical performances of the country are held, as well as major city and state events. The architectural ensemble is especially interesting for its abundance of exquisite sculptural decorations. The building was heavily damaged during the Second World War, but to date its original appearance has been restored to 100%.

Address: 7 Lam Son Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Bến Nghé, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: you can view it from 09:00 – 16:30 (Monday – Friday), 09:00 – 11:30 (Saturday-Sunday).

The largest shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, located directly next to Notre Dame. This is a world-class shopping destination where you can also discover a bowling alley, games centre, restaurants and cafes. Here you can spend time taking a break from walking around the city center.

Address: 34 Lê Duẩn, Bến Nghé, Quận 1
Opening hours: 09:30 – 22:00 (daily)

The city's zoo and botanical garden is one of the oldest in the world. Construction began on the initiative of the French authorities in 1865, and the opening took place 4 years later.

Today in this place you can see more than a hundred rare plants, animals and birds. Many of the plants are more than 100 years old. The collections of cacti and orchids, which number dozens of species, deserve special attention. It is also the only place in the world where Argus pheasants are bred in captivity.

Address: 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm Bến Nghé Quận 1
Opening hours: 07:00 – 20:00 (daily)
Price: $0.5 on weekdays and $0.7 on weekends per ticket

Next to the zoo you can immediately visit the Vietnam Historical Museum. It was opened in 1929. Unlike the military museum, it widely covers all stages of the country’s development: the first (main) exhibition is dedicated directly to the formation of Vietnam, and the second – to the prehistoric era (over 300 thousand years ago). Here you will see Vietnamese everyday objects (including one of the largest collections of ceramics in all of Southeast Asia), religious objects and mummies.

Address: 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé
Opening hours: 08:00 – 11:30, 13:30 – 17:00 (Tuesday – Sunday)
Price: 1$

For those who are interested in the TOP main attractions of Vietnam, I recommend visiting the Vietnam Attractions page.

There are no strict rules for visiting the basilica, but you must adhere to the general Christian norms of presence in the temple.

Before entering, women must cover their heads with a stole, and men, on the contrary, must remove their hats. It is better to take a stole with you in advance, since there is nowhere to buy it near the temple. It is also better not to enter the room wearing clothes that are too revealing.
You need to talk quietly in church; it is better to refrain from conversations.
Opposite the basilica there are shops for tourists, where you can buy handmade souvenirs with the symbols of the temple.
Admission is free, open to tourists on weekdays, from 04:00 to 09:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00.
The main gate of the cathedral may be closed. If you arrive at the right time and encounter this, try entering through the side entrance.
You can attend mass which starts at 09:30 every Sunday. Conducted in English.

Note:
The cathedral is closed to tourists due to reconstruction until the end of 2019 (preliminarily), and it can only be viewed from the outside. Services are underway in the cathedral; now it is open only for parishioners.

The durability of the French masonry of the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral symbolically showed how any, even someone else's, idea can take root on the fertile Vietnamese soil. If you want to discover something truly unexpected in Vietnam, you should definitely get to know this cozy corner of Europe in Asia.

You can visit this attraction as part of the following excursions:

I invite you to an inexpensive one-day trip, during which you will get to know the main attractions of the city in a few hours. This is a great option if you have little time or have just arrived in Vietnam and don’t yet know where to start your vacation.

A walk around Ho Chi Minh City at night is a great opportunity to get a general idea of this city and see its nightlife. In a few hours we will visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Saigon, the Central Post Office, as well as the puppet theater on the water.

A tour of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is a sightseeing trip during which we will visit the Notre Dame de Saigon Cathedral, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, the Military History Museum, Ben Thanh Market, as well as an exhibition of lacquerware. I, the Russian-speaking guide Dinh Chong Hai, will accompany you. On this page you will find out the details of the excursion in Ho Chi Minh City, prices and conditions of organization, and can also book it.

An excursion from Vung Tau to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta is a two-day trip. On the first day we will visit the Notre Dame de Saigon Cathedral, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, the War Victims Museum, Ben Thanh Market and an exhibition of lacquerware. And we will devote the entire next day to a boat ride on the Mekong River.

A tour of the French Quarter of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is an entertaining walk through the ancient streets where Europe and Asia connect. You will see many interesting buildings built at the end of the 19th or the first half of the 20th century. Ho Chi Minh City was conquered by the French in 1859. For almost a century it was under their rule. The colonialists rebuilt the central part of the city in their own style. This area is now called the French Quarter.

A tour of the temples and pagodas of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is an excellent opportunity to visit several attractions at once within one trip. I will organize an interesting walk for you to introduce you to the Buddhist, Hindu and Christian shrines of the city, as well as the culture of these religious communities.

), but you can definitely spend some time here.

We didn't have a goal to see all the sights of Ho Chi Minh City, and we just walked around the city, trying to feel its atmosphere.

Since most of the attractions are still located in the center, we saw many without even looking for them purposefully.

Ben Thanh Market
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Saigon (Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral)
Post Office Building (Saigon Central Post Office)
City Hall (City Hall / Hotel de Ville)
Ho Chi Minh City Opera House (Saigon Opera House)
Bitexco Financial Tower
War Remnants Museum

Ben Thanh Market

This may seem like a rather strange attraction for Ho Chi Minh City. In principle, this is how it is - I can’t say that this is some kind of super-interesting place. But this huge indoor market is located in the very historical center, it is used by many as a landmark, and in addition, most tourists come here one way or another

And besides, it’s clearly not worth considering it as a market, precisely because it is considered a tourist attraction, and all the prices there are inflated. When we took a culinary master class (about it in one of the following articles), we were brought here to show the local flavor, but they explained that in reality, the Vietnamese themselves shop here extremely rarely

Everything is sold on Ben Tan - frog meat and fresh flowers, fruits and spices, souvenirs and “branded” clothing. In principle, if you know how to bargain well, and even better, if you know at least a little Vietnamese, then here you can get more or less adequate prices, but without bargaining they will be extremely high

Next to the market there is a bus stop where many routes intersect - this is where city buses come from the airport. Not far from the market there is a tourist area, which contains a huge number of hotels, guesthouses, bars, cafes and restaurants.

Operating mode: from 6 to 19
Price: for free

Cathedral of Notre Dame de Saigon (Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral)

This cathedral is perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City, at least postcards with its image can be bought on every corner

Notre Dame is an active Catholic cathedral, a striking example of French architecture of the colonial period. Outwardly, it is very vaguely similar to its French counterpart, and is smaller in size

The most important thing that unites them is the name, although, however, Notre-Dam is “Our Lady”, so there is nothing surprising in such a coincidence

Judging by the number of weddings we saw around, the cathedral is not only popular among tourists, but is also on the list of places to include in a wedding photo shoot

Operating mode: You can get inside from Monday to Friday
Price: for free

Post Office Building (Saigon Central Post Office) The city's main post office is also located across the street from Notre Dame

Both inside and outside, it looks more like a train station than a post office.

It is doubly popular - both as one of the attractions of Ho Chi Minh City and as the post office itself. Dozens of Europeans send postcards from here - to themselves, friends and relatives. We also couldn’t resist and sent a couple =)

Operating mode: from 8 to 17
Price: for free

City Hall (City Hall / Hotel de Ville)

The municipal building, which, in fact, has long housed the House of Culture, and not the municipality, can only be looked at from the outside

They say that this building is especially beautiful in the evening, with illumination, but on our first visit to Ho Chi Minh City, we were not here in the evening, and the second time, the park was renovated and everything was dug up.

And although it was possible to approach the City Hall itself without problems,

but the best angles were behind the fence

Operating mode: You can’t get inside, but you can look outside at any time
Price: for free

Ho Chi Minh City Opera House (Saigon Opera House)

Another historical building from the late 19th century, left to the Vietnamese from French colonization

This place is also not overgrown with the folk trail of wedding photographers who are not particularly original. Or maybe it’s just that most newlyweds want to be captured against the famous background on this memorable day

Despite the name, this place is popular among tourists not for operas, but for the acrobatic show "A O Show", which is compared in scale and entertainment to the productions of the famous Cirque du Soleil. Unfortunately, we can neither confirm nor deny this, since we found out about this show quite late.

Before the start of the show, we were perplexed by this installation - we still didn’t understand what it could mean

The theater building itself looks especially impressive in the evening

Operating mode: show starts at 18:00 and 20:00
Price: from $25 to $70

Bitexco Financial Tower

The height of the Biteksko tower is 262 meters, it is the tallest building in the city

We try to climb every similar tower - you can say that this is our little hobby)) So we made no exception here

The observation deck (Saigon Skydeck) is located on the 49th floor,

Here's a circular gallery

and on the 50th there is a restaurant, while going up to the observation deck costs 200 thousand dong ($10), and you can go up to the restaurant for free. Of course, you will need to order something there, and the prices in this restaurant are directly proportional to the altitude at which it is located,

but still, drinking a cup of coffee will be both cheaper and more pleasant than paying for a ticket =) Coffee costs 160 thousand dong ($8)

We went up in clear weather,

so the views of the city were nice

Operating mode: from 9:30 to 21:30
Price:$10 for admission or from $8 for drinks in the restaurant

War Remnants Museum

We are not big fans of museums, and we are very indifferent to all kinds of great masterpieces of art, especially those represented by paintings and sculptures. We are much more interested in museums that reflect the events of a particular era, most often these are ethnographic or military museums

We like, in different countries, to look into museums dedicated to the war - in them, you can often see a different point of view on events from the one to which we are accustomed.

Some of the exhibits and photographs in this museum send a chill down your spine, especially in the section on the chemical weapons that the United States used against Vietnam.

Later we learned that there was a separate prison pavilion there, in which instruments of torture were also displayed, but we did not look there.

Next to the museum are exhibited samples of military equipment that were used by the Americans.

Operating mode: from 7:30 to 17:00 (break from 12:00 to 13:30)
Price: $1.5

Mekong River

The Mekong River can also be considered one of the attractions of Ho Chi Minh City - it is one of the ten largest rivers in the world and flows through China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam

One of the pleasant moments that we liked in Ho Chi Minh City was the opportunity to walk along the embankment

There are several floating restaurants on the waterfront,

Some of which look quite impressive

But most of all, the river is famous for its tours of the Mekong Delta - we will tell you about such a tour that we visited in the coming articles

Other attractions of Ho Chi Minh City

Of course, there are many attractions in Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding area. We didn’t have the goal of going through them all, so in this article we only talked about those that we saw in person. But if you have time and desire, you can also visit other popular places (markers of all points on the map are at the beginning of the article).
For example, the largest pagoda, Giac Lam Pagoda, we only saw it from the bus window

In general, there are plenty of pagodas and temples in Ho Chi Minh City,

There are also palaces, for example, the Reunification Palace.

There is a botanical garden, a zoo and other green parks

Also worthy of attention:

Cholon Market (Binh Tay) and Chinatown
Cao Dai Temple
Water puppet theater
Fun practice Suoi Tien Park

Or you can go to one of the museums:

Museum of Vietnamese History or Historical Museum
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Ton Duc Thang Museum
Women's museum
Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (FITO Museum)
Fine Art Museum
Ho Chi Minh City Museum (Gia Long Palace)

Day excursions to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta are no less popular, but more on that next time.

Have you been to Ho Chi Minh City? What impression did the city make on you? Share in the comments!

One of the most important attractions of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is the Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral. Built in a French colonial, neo-Romanesque style, it is quite nice, but quite simple.

How to find:
From the tourist center - the bus station and the Ben Thanh market - you can walk in about twenty minutes.

Opening hours: weekdays, on weekends inspection only from outside.

This, one might even say, is the calling card of Ho Chi Minh. Strictly speaking, it’s not such a great attraction, but for lack of anything better, tourists are drawn to take pictures with it. Well, we haven’t forgotten)

Vietnamese Notre Dame was built quite quickly, in just three years. The first brick was laid by a French priest in October 1877, and in April 1880 the construction was completely completed.
In front of the cathedral there is a statue of Our Lady. Previously, instead of it there was a statue of the Bishop of Adran with Prince Kan, but now only one pedestal remains of them, on which the Virgin Mary was placed.

The cathedral is active, services are held there periodically, and if you happen to be there during this time, you can come in (admission is free) and admire the stained glass windows decorating the interiors.

There are pedicabs waiting around for tourists. If you want a little local exoticism, you can leisurely ride on this endangered form of transport for a short distance.

Notre Dame Cathedral is called both the calling card of Ho Chi Minh City and a piece of Paris in Asia and the main architectural landmark of the city. It is located in a quiet center, opposite the central post office.

The construction of the cathedral began almost immediately after the start of French colonization of Indochina. The colonial administration sought to build a masterpiece that could outshine the Buddhist temples and amaze the dissident local population. The project of the architect J. Bourg made it possible to harmoniously fit a copy of the famous French Notre Dame de Paris into the style of the South Asian city. All building materials, including stained glass windows, red Marseille bricks and two forty-meter bell towers, were brought from France. The cathedral was also built by French builders. The quality of materials and work is evidenced by the fact that in a humid climate the brickwork was not only preserved, but did not even change color.

It is believed that the cathedral took six years to build. But it is historically confirmed that the first stone for construction was laid by Bishop Lafebvre in March 1863. If we consider this as the start date of construction, then the construction of the temple lasted 17 years. It was originally called the Cathedral of Our Lady of Saigon. In 1959, the then bishop gave it the name Notre Dame. In 1962, the temple was anointed by the Pope as the main cathedral of Saigon.

The height of the cathedral's bell towers with domes exceeds 60 meters. In front of the temple stands a four-meter-tall sculpture of the Virgin Mary with a small globe in her hands. At her feet there is a box where you can drop your prayers. In 2005, the statue began to flow myrrh and turned into a place of religious pilgrimage.

The modest interior of the outwardly majestic cathedral is decorated with a white marble altar and carved figures of angels. Lighting gives a special atmosphere. Stained glass windows from Chartres, imported in the 19th century, make the sunlight look fabulous. Six bronze bells were brought and installed in 1895. Each of them rings in turn in the morning and evening on weekdays, three bells ring on weekends, and all six ring only on Catholic Christmas.

This is a very spiritual place, as well as photogenic, loved by newlyweds and tourists.

Having conquered Indochina, the French hastened, on the one hand, to show their power in a foreign country, and on the other, to spread the Christian faith among the local residents.

Of course, the Catholic cathedral in the center of Ho Chi Minh City overshadowed the Buddhist temples, as was intended. The neo-Romanesque building style interspersed with Gothic style made the temple the hallmark of Saigon (modern Ho Chi Minh City).

The temple was built over several years according to the approved design of the architect Jules Bourg. Construction materials, like the builders themselves, were brought from France. The high quality of the French work has been proven by time: the masonry of the cathedral not only did not change its color, but also did not undergo structural deformation.

The first stone for the building was laid in March 1863 by Bishop Laferva. The bells on the temple were installed in 1895. At the end of the 19th century, a clock was brought from Switzerland, which found a place on the facade of the temple between the belfries. The two bell towers of the temple rise up to almost sixty meters in height.

The temple was named after Our Lady of Saigon. In 1959, almost a hundred years later, Bishop Pham Van Thien created the prayer “Notre Dame, bless the peace of Vietnam.” And a little later the temple was renamed Notre Dame. In the same year, a statue of the Virgin Mary was made in Rome, which on February 16 took its place in front of the cathedral.

In 1960, the Vatican founded a Roman Catholic diocese in Vietnam. Archbishops are appointed in Hue, Hanoi and Saigon. Notre Dame Temple was called the main temple of Saigon. For the tercentenary of the bishopric in Saigon In 1962, the Vatican awarded the cathedral the title of basilica. Since then, the temple has been called the Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame.

In 2005, a rumor was started (a very correct tactical move to attract tourists) that the statue was streaming myrrh. Pilgrims from all over the world poured into Ho Chi Minh City to visit the holy place. The cathedral has become a sacred place for hundreds of thousands of Catholics, and tourists come here to see with their own eyes the Vietnamese version of the famous Parisian landmark.

What to see in the Vietnamese cathedral

Let's begin our acquaintance with the basilica at the very entrance.

A statue of the Virgin Mary, over 4 meters high, is placed in front of the entrance. She replaced another pedestal: the Bishop of Andran with Prince Kan. The Virgin Mary carefully holds a small globe in her hand, pressing a snake with her foot, which symbolically conveys the eternal struggle between good and evil (evil is clearly defeated). The statue was made of white marble in 1959 by G. Ciochetti. At the feet of the Mother of God there is a box where parishioners and everyone who wants to put their prayers.

The bell tower of the basilica has 6 bells that make sounds corresponding to the notes (the F note is missing here). Twice a day, at 5:00 and 17:30, only two bells sound in turn. This weekend you will hear three bells. The mesmerizing melody from all the bells of the basilica can only be heard at Christmas.

The interior of the cathedral is distinguished by magnificent stained glass windows and huge numerous arches. The walls and ceilings are decorated with frescoes from biblical scenes.

The white marble altar in the center of the cathedral is highlighted by carved figures of angels.

If you are lucky and find yourself in the cathedral during the service, you will hear the angelic singing of the choir and the unearthly sounds of the organ.