Top 10 surprising facts about Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

1. The official name is long and solemn. The full name of the building is “Basilica of the Immaculate Conception”. “Notre Dame Cathedral” or “ Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon ” is just a common abbreviation among the masses.

2. Built entirely with materials imported from France. All bricks, tiles, cement, steel and stained glass of the church were imported from France, demonstrating a rare level of investment and sophistication for a construction in Indochina at that time.

3. Unique Gothic-Romanesque architectural style. The structure of Notre Dame Cathedral is a blend of Gothic (pointed arches, stained glass) and Roman (semi-circular domes, symmetrical layout) styles, creating a unique, harmonious beauty.

4. Red bricks over 140 years old are not covered with moss. The bricks imported from Marseille (France) still retain their bright red color after more than a century, and are especially moss-free, despite the tropical weather.

5. European-style stained glass. The church's stained glass is meticulously hand-painted, depicting events from the Bible – all produced by the famous French workshop Lorin Chartres.

6. The bells can be heard for 10 kilometers. The two bell towers of the church were added in 1895, each 58 meters high, and each tower houses three large bells imported from Switzerland – a total of six weighing nearly 30 tons. When all six bells ring together, the sound can be heard for about 10 kilometers.

7. Statue of Our Lady of Peace made of Italian marble. The statue in front of the church was carved from white marble imported from Italy, made by artisan G. Ciocchetti in 1959, symbolizing prayers for peace in Vietnam.

8. There was an incident of “the Virgin Mary statue shedding tears”. In 2005, many people believed that the Virgin Mary statue had shed tears, creating a large wave of pilgrimages among the Catholic community and curious public.

9. No fences, blending into the urban area. Unlike most large churches in the world , Notre Dame Cathedral has no surrounding fences, creating an open, friendly feeling, close to the urban space and people.

10. The church is being restored in a way that preserves the original architecture. Since 2017, the church has been undergoing a major restoration phase, supervised by a French architect, with the goal of restoring it to its original 19th-century design. The restoration is expected to be completed in 2027.

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