Religious site
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
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Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, also known as the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, is a prominent Catholic cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City. Built between 1877 and 1880 by French administrators, it features two bell towers that rise 58 meters high. The cathedral's bright red bricks, imported from Toulouse, France, have retained their color without coated concrete.
Don't miss
- Two bell towers reaching 58 meters high, with crosses on top bringing the total height to 60.5 meters.
- Bright red bricks from Toulouse, France, that have never been coated with concrete yet remain vivid.
- 56 glass squares supplied by the Lorin firm of Chartres, a French town famous for its 13th-century stained glass.
- A granite statue of Our Lady of Peace in the forecourt, installed in 1959.
- Tiles carved with the words 'Guichard Carvin, Marseille St André France' indicating their origin.
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
You can visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon on your own. A guide is worth it for the history and detail that is easy to walk past, and a tour can combine it with nearby sights.
Cheapest way inHo Chi Minh City Sightseeing Panoramic Cyclo Private Tour4.9★ · 31 travelers1-3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$2 per personSee dates →
Most bookedHo Chi Minh City Food Tour By Motorbike | Saigon Adventure5★ · 10,269 travelers~4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$30 per personSee dates →
Private & flexibleSaigon Ho Chi Minh City Private Shore Excursion from Cruise Ports5★ · 24 travelers6-12 hoursFree cancellationFrom$115 per personSee dates →Getting there
Know before you go
- Motorbikes may use footpaths to bypass traffic, so watch for cycles approaching from behind.
- The bright red Toulouse bricks were left uncoated and still define the exterior.
- The foundation was engineered to bear ten times the weight of the structure.
A bit of history
Following the French conquest of Cochinchina, a wooden church was built in 1863 but was later damaged by termites. A new cathedral was constructed from 1877 to 1880 using materials imported from France. In 1895, two bell towers were added, each 57.6 meters tall with six bronze bells. In 1959, a statue of Our Lady of Peace was installed in the forecourt, and the church became known as Notre-Dame Cathedral. Pope John XXIII elevated it to a basilica in 1962.
Common questions
When was the cathedral built?
Construction took place from 1877 to 1880, with the first stone laid on 7 October 1877 and completion celebrated on Easter Day, 11 April 1880.
What materials were used in its construction?
All original building materials were imported from France, including bricks from Toulouse and tiles from Marseille.
Why is there a statue of Our Lady of Peace in front?
The statue was installed in 1959 by Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien, who ordered it made from granite in Rome and presented it under the title 'Regina Pacis'.
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