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Bold ancient French architecture, for a long time, Hanoi Cathedral is an ideal place for visitors from all over to visit. For Christians, the Cathedral is a great altar to attend Mass and pray.
St. Joseph Cathedral is located in the heart of Hanoi city
The Cathedral is open to visitors daily
St. Joseph's Cathedral, also known as Hanoi Cathedral, is a unique architectural work associated with the people of the capital over the centuries. The Church is a place of religious activities for Christians and is a popular tourist attraction in Hanoi.
If you have the opportunity to tour Ha Noi , do not miss the opportunity to visit the Cathedral.
The church is a place of religious activities for Catholics
According to some records, the site for the old Cathedral was where Bao Thien Pagoda was located. The temple was built in the Ly dynasty. It is known that Bao Thien Tu is a famous national throne of Dai Viet capital during the dynasties from Ly - Tran - Le - Nguyen.
By the end of the 18th century, Bao Thien pagoda was destroyed and the pagoda foundation became the market land of Dai Viet people at that time. After that, the government transferred to the Catholic Church to build it into a church.
The facade of St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi today
Initially, the church was built temporarily with wood to serve religious activities for parishioners. By 1884 the church began to build more spacious with terracotta bricks. Despite many difficulties during the construction process, the church was still completed on Christmas Eve in 1888.
Although it is officially known as the Cathedral of St. Joseph, people and visitors are still familiar with it as the Cathedral . Perhaps because of the scale and uniqueness of the architecture of the Church that makes people think of this name.
St. Joseph's Cathedral left an impression on visitors with its beautiful architecture
Through many ups and downs of history, St. Joseph Cathedral is considered a "witness" witnessing the "changing flesh" of Hanoi during the past 3 centuries. Although many modern works have sprung up, St. Joseph Cathedral is still an architectural work that makes a special mark on the hearts of Hanoi people and tourists from near and far.
The couple takes a wedding photo at the St. Joseph's Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral is designed in the style of medieval European Gothic architecture. This is a very popular architecture in the 12th century in European Renaissance.
In general, the Cathedral looks like Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Catholic church representing the Gothic architectural style in France. The main materials used to build the church are terracotta bricks and mulch paper.
In general, the church is about 65m long, 21m wide, and two bell towers 32m high. With such a height enough for visitors to see the splendor and majesty of this cathedral. On the top of the church there is a stone cross, below is a clock and a holy statue, creating a highlight for the church's architecture.
St. Joseph Cathedral is one of the first ancient French architectural works built in Hanoi
From the outside, the church looks very old, with layers of changed lime and moss-covered roof. However, when entering the large door inside the church, visitors will be surprised to see the magnificent and magnificent architectural features that have not been changed over time.
According to the travel experience of some visitors, you must go to the church to feel the magnificence of this work.
The sanctuary inside the church is beautifully decorated
Entering the church, the first attraction is probably the Holy Palace. The sanctuary in the church is decorated in the traditional folk art style, simple but eye-catching. In the middle of the sanctuary is a statue of St. Joseph holding Jesus, the sides and around the sanctuary are the altar of Our Lady and many other holy statues.
Below the basilica are benches with kneeling tables to serve the laypeople during Mass. With a spacious space, St. Joseph Cathedral can accommodate up to thousands of people. On major holidays such as Christmas (Christmas), St. Joseph Cathedral attracts a large number of parishioners and visitors.
The Cathedral attracts many visitors during Christmas
In the hall in the church, there is a large door, the two sides of the tower have two small doors for convenience for parishioners and visitors. The doors and all windows in the church are curled up according to Gothique art. Inside the rolling doors there are pictures of beautiful stained-glass Saints.
The church also had a valuable set of western bells (about 20,000 French francs at that time), consisting of four small bells and one large bell. Next to it is a large clock mounted in the front of the church. The clock has an engraved alarm, alarm, and a bell system linked to 5 bells hanging on the tower.
When one comes to a place that hears the bell ringing, one can know that there is a parish
Church bells are intended to inform Christians of the start of the Mass, baptism, marriage or death etc. Unlike the sound and style of ringing a temple bell, a church bell has a fast, slow beat depending on different notification purposes.
Outside the church there is a small square, where the metal statue of Our Lady is located. Beneath the statue of Our Lady is a incense burner for people to light incense to pray, surrounded by many green pots. The fence around the monument is Catholic with motifs created from the shape of a cross.
Small square in front of the Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral is a special destination, attracting locals and visitors from near and far. The neighborhood around the church has long been a familiar gathering spot for young people and tourists. Just giving yourself an ideal seat, enjoying a drink while watching the ancient church, visitors can also find their soul extraordinarily comfortable.
The students at nearby schools also often gather to play football and play in front of the church. Couples and couples about to get married often choose the location around the church as a place for dating and wedding photography.
The students play soccer in front of the Cathedral
With its unique and ancient architecture, St. Joseph's Cathedral always has a strange attraction to many visitors when arriving in Hanoi. Coming here, visitors not only can see a beautiful architecture but also learn how Catholics live.