 | Ho Chi Minh City Notre Dame Cathedral Reviews | Tips 51 - 60 of 61 |  |
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To me, this neo-Romanesque cathedral almost looks out of place in Saigon. It is much too European to be sitting in such a prominent position in this teeming city. Regardless, here it is standing in the middle of town just to the end of Dong Khoi Street. Built between 1877 and 1883, allegedly on the site of an old Chinese Pagoda, this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture in the city. Remarkably every stone used in its creation was shipped from France to Vietnam. The bricks used to build the structure were all shipped from Marseilles. And French artisans from Lorin Company (Chartres, France) were commissioned to create the stained glass windows. The Cathedral cost 2.5 million francs to construct, a fortune both then and now. Structurally, the church is composed of two main central bays with two sidereal corridors, with tall pillars and light coming in through sets of high windows, and a semi-circular shrine. In 1962, the Vatican gave the cathedral the title Basilique. Her two imposing 130 feet (40 m) tall towers, topped with iron spires use to dominate the city’s skyline but now there are a number of high-rise buildings that are much taller. However, in earlier years it was THE landmark that passengers looked for during their arrival aboard passenger liners traveling the winding Saigon River. On the square in front of the cathedral, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary made of white marble, symbolizing peace. Leave a Comment Directions: City center
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