1. Introduction to Hanoi Cathedral

Hanoi Cathedral is located at the intersection of 3 streets, these are Nha Chung street, Ly Quoc Su street and Nha Tho street (address at 40 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi). This place has become an attractive tourist destination not only for young people in Hanoi but also for tourists coming to Hanoi.

Hanoi Cathedral is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hanoi. Although the "birth" name of the church is St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi people are used to calling it a more affectionate name, Hanoi Cathedral. This is also the church with the archbishop's throne, where religious activities of the parishioners of the Archdiocese of Hanoi often take place.

Built during the French colonial period, the cathedral has many details modeled after the architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

At the beginning of completion, the church was built temporarily of wood to serve the religious activities of the parishioners. In 1884, the church began to be completed with terracotta. The process of building the cathedral in Hanoi encountered many difficulties, but the work was still completed in time for Christmas in 1888.

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Opening hours of Hanoi Cathedral

On weekdays (from Monday to Saturday): from 8 am to 11 am and from 2 pm to 8 pm.

On Sundays: from 7 am to 11:30 am,  and from 3 pm to 9 pm.

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Time table of Mass at Hanoi Cathedral

On weekdays (from Monday to Friday): Masses is held at 5:30 and 18:15 (18:00 on Saturday).

On Sundays: 05h00, 07h00, 09h00, 11h00, 16h00 (children's festival), 18h00, 20h00 (youth ceremony).

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2. Unique architectural features

The church is designed in the European medieval Gothic style, which is very popular in the 12th century, based on the model of Notre Dame Cathedral with pointed domes facing the sky.

The church has a length of 64.5m with a bell tower up to 31.5m high. Besides, Hanoi Cathedral is also a product of East-West cultural exchange by the terracotta tile roof system and interior decoration system with bold Vietnamese traditions indigenous architecture.

Inside the church, the rows of stained glass windows and many wall paintings with religious themes emphasize and highlight the European architectural style. Besides, many decorative details with traditional Vietnamese style are decorated along the aisle, on the wall, on the altar... creating impressive features for the entire space. 

Another attraction inside the church is the Holy Palace. The sanctuary is decorated according to folk tradition, although simple but impressive. In the middle of the sanctuary is a statue of Saint Joseph holding Jesus, on both sides of the sanctuary is an altar to the Mother of God and many other holy statues.

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3. What to do when visiting Hanoi Cathedral?

3.1. Visit the Masses in the Cathedral

Joining the Masses in Hanoi Cathedral is an interesting experience that you should try first when visiting this place. This is the place where the parishioners' beliefs and religions are clearly expressed through Masses such as weddings, baptisms,...

When visiting the church during the Masses, you should dress politely, discreetly, neatly, do not speak loudly, shout loudly and absolutely should not say words discriminating against religious differences, offend or affect other saints and laity.

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3.2. Experience the Christmas atmosphere at Hanoi Cathedral

As one of the 7 famous churches of the capital,  on Christmas every year, the cathedral is decorated brilliantly, becoming an ideal Christmas spot for many people, especially young people. Coming here, you will be mixed with the crowd, admire the rock cave, pine tree, shimmering electric lights and have a warm holiday season.

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3.3. "Virtual life" check-in at Hanoi Cathedral

The scene at the Hanoi Cathedral is ready for you to take photos beautiful unique photos because the background is so beautiful that it feels like standing in the middle of Europe.

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3.4. Enjoy the "specialty" of lemon tea in the Cathedral

I don't know when did lemon tea become a specialty drink of the Hanoi cathedral. Every weekend or from late afternoon to midnight every day, young people like to gather at lemon tea shops on the sidewalk around the cathedral to have fun with each other.

In addition to lemon tea, there are many other snacks that appeal to young people such as mango pickles,  vermicelli sprouting, grilled spring rolls, fried spring rolls... The snacks are not new but have a bold "sidewalk cuisine" features of Hanoi, with only a few tens of thousands of Vietnamese dong, you can enjoy delicious snacks in the style of Hanoi.

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3.5. Explore places near the cathedral

The Cathedral is located right next to the tourist destination that is considered a symbol of Hanoi tourism, which is Sword Lake. On weekends, the walking street is open to serve the entertainment needs of Hanoians and foreign tourists. Here regularly organize music events, free performances, play traditional games... In addition, you can visit Dong Xuan market or walk around the old town area with many bustling shops.'

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4. How to get to Hanoi Cathedral

You can go by private vehicle according to the directions of google map or choose to book grab car, taxi... Or you can also choose public transport such as bus. Bus routes do not directly stop at the Cathedral, but these bus stop very close to the church:

• Bus routes 09, 14, 36: go to the bank, then, go straight to Hang Trong Street, turn left onto Nha Tho Street to get to Hanoi Cathedral.
• Bus 01 to Trieu Quoc Dat Street, then go straight to Phu Doan Street, then turn right onto Au Trieu Street to reach Hanoi Cathedral.
• Bus 02 to Trang Thi (get off at 6 Trang Thi, go straight for a section, then turn right to Phu Doan, go straight for a few minutes then turn right to Au Trieu to reach Hanoi Cathedral.

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Source: collected