Up to now, the system of Catholic churches has made a strong mark in the architectural landscape of Saigon. They are not only works serving religious purposes but have become spatial highlights in the architectural heritage of this city. With more than 200 churches belonging to 14 dioceses, Ho Chi Minh City currently concentrates a rich amount of church forms, of which more than 10 churches still retain traces of the past 100 years.
When planning Saigon, the French deliberately created boulevards in a checkerboard pattern and viewpoints with large squares. Dominating the squares are iconic structures of urban institutions: the theater, Norodom Palace (today's Reunification Palace), Xa Tay Palace (now the City Hall, City People's Committee), the old train station, Ben Thanh Market... and Notre Dame Cathedral, the reception point for the Catinat (Dong Khoi) axis from the riverbank. 
Among these structures, Notre Dame Cathedral has the most prominent position, thanks to the wide circulation space around it as well as its considerable height compared to neighboring structures. In addition to its height of 60.5m to the top, what makes the structure so impressive is its distinctive red brick color and the perfection of its architectural details. 
Inaugurated in 1880, it became the community center of the city. The square in front of the church is adjacent to the surrounding avenues as well as the post office building next to it, forming a complete connection like a model of a European city. 
Other churches also choose locations adjacent to densely populated residential areas, such as the Nga Sau Church (ie Saint Jeanne d'Arc Church, inaugurated in 1922) located opposite Da Trach Park overlooking a six-way intersection of major roads in District 5, forming a point to receive traffic directions. Similar to Notre Dame Cathedral, the Nga Sau Church is also located separately from the surrounding buildings, making the church not too massive but still unusually majestic. 
The streets are lined with straight rows of Dipterocarpus trees, similar to the Gothic bell tower of the church, creating a unified whole of the planning. Churches often choose warm colors such as red brick, pink, orange, even bright colors like Tan Dinh church, making them stand out in the tropical sunlight and against the blue sky and the lush green trees all year round, like color accents leading the urban space.Heritage Magazine
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