Christmas is around the corner and preparations are underway atchurches in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It seems everyone, Christian ornot, is ready to celebrate. A tour of the churches by Vietnam Net onlinenewspaper.
* Hanoi
- Hanoi Cathedral
The church is located in the city's heart. It was built on thefoundation of Bao Thien - the famous ancient tower of Thang Long in theLy Dynasty (11th-12th centuries).
Also called theChurch of St. Giuse (Saint Joseph), the largest cathedral in Hanoi wasopened at Christmas 1887, after two years of construction in the samearchitecture with the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. This is theplace of the Catholic solemnities and the procession of St. Joseph ofthe Hanoi Diocese on March 19 each year.
- Ham Long Church
This is a church of the Roman Catholic Church, of the Archdiocese ofHanoi, Vietnam. It is a place for the religious life of Hanoiparishioners and the major church of Ham Long parish.
The work was designed by a Vietnamese architect. The 17m-high churchwas completed in December 1934. The columns and altars are decoratedwith rope motifs like those on the tunic of the Francis order. Thechurch’s patron saint is St. Anthony of Padua.
Ham Long Church, facing Ham Long and Ngo Thi Nham streets, is considered one of the most beautiful in Hanoi.
- Cua Bac Cathedral
Cua Bac Cathedral, one of the most beautiful churches in Hanoi, islocated at No. 56 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ba Dinh District. It was builtat the northern gate (Cua Bac) of the Thang Long citadel, so it is alsonamed Cua Bac Church, in 1931-1932 (some documents said that it wasbuilt in 1927 under the French rule) by a French priest cum architect,combining the Asian – European style. It does not follow the rules ofsymmetry, with a high bell tower on the right and in balance with thecentral dome.
The Cua Bac Cathedral is not only a religious address but also an architectural work with many unique features.
- Thinh Liet Church
It is also known as the Lang Tam Church. The church’s name is relatedto the Bui family in Thinh Liet village. This is a famous family thatcontributed many important figures for the Vietnamese dynasties from theearly 15th century to the early 20th century, as well as many famouswriters for Vietnam during the five centuries. King Le Hien Tong grantedthis family with a horizontal lacquered board with four letters "SonNam Vong Toc" (A big family in Son Nam).
The church was built on the ground of the family temple of the Bui family.
- Phung Khoang Church
The church is located in the village of Phung Khoang in Trung Vancommune, Tu Liem district, Hanoi, close to the Hanoi - Ha Dong road,about 10 km from the city' heart.
The space here istypical for a peaceful rural Vietnam. The church was built in 1910, inFrench neoclassical architecture.
* Ho Chi Minh City
The churches in Saigon were mostly built in the latter half of the19th century, in the French-styled architecture combining with the Romanand Gothic styles of the medieval Europe. Some churches were built asan emotional support for the French government and some others wereconstructed to meet the spiritual needs of indigenous believers.
- Notre Dame Cathedral
This is the largest church in the city and was completed in 1880. Itis also known as the State church because it was built by the Frenchcolonial government. The church was later transferred to the Saigondiocese.
In the past, the Notre Dame Cathedral wasthe largest church among those built by the French in its colonies. Itwas built from Marseille bricks, colorful glass and steel frames fromFrance and green stone from Bien Hoa, Dong Nai province. TheRoman-styled doorways are reminiscent of the great cathedrals in Paris,Chartres or Reim in France.
The Notre Dame Cathedralhas absolutely no room for candles because it has been fullyilluminated by electric lights since its inauguration in 1880.
The construction of this work started on October 7, 1877, and it wasinaugurated on April 11, 1880. The church was designed in France, builtby a French engineer named Bourad.
- Tan Dinh Church
The Tan Dinh Church is smaller and was built for the Vietnameseparish. It is typical for the blend of architectural styles of Frenchchurches, which was built and expanded in several stages.
Inaugurated on December 16, 1876, Tan Dinh Church is one of thereligious buildings that were built early in Saigon. Located on abustling street, Tan Dinh Church has beautiful architecture from thearches to the finely carved details.
- Huyen Sy Church
The church imitates the style of small churches in France. This is oneof a few churches that used Bien Hoa granite in the façade, the baseand the main columns. The stone is very hard to carve patterns but itshows wealth.
There are tombs and statues of Mr. HuyenSy and his wife in the church. Huyen Sy was the richest man in Saigonat that time who built this church, named after him.
- Cha Tam Church
The Cha Tam Church or Francis Xavier Church in Cho Lon is decoratedwith horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences inside, likeChinese temples.
On December 3, 1900, at the Feast ofSt. Francis Xavier, Saigon Bishop Mossard placed the first stone forthe church built for the Chinese in Saigon.
Thechurch was inaugurated on January 10, 1902. After that, parish Tam Assonbuilt a school, a kindergarten, a boarding house, and houses for rentin the church.
In 1934, Father Tam died and he wasburied at the entrance wall of the church. Therefore, the church isoften called Cha Tam (Father Tam) Church.
In 1990, the church steeple and the sanctuary were refurbished.
- Cho Quan Church
The Cho Quan Church also has the Gothic-style architecture. It was built over 100 years ago in Cho Lon area.
Cho Quan is one of the oldest parishes of the Archdiocese of Ho ChiMinh City. The first chapel was built in this area in 1674 byparishioners from the northern and central regions.
After several renovation, in 1887 Father Nicola Ham built the new church. This work was inaugurated in the New Year 1896.-VNA
* Hanoi
- Hanoi Cathedral
The church is located in the city's heart. It was built on thefoundation of Bao Thien - the famous ancient tower of Thang Long in theLy Dynasty (11th-12th centuries).
Also called theChurch of St. Giuse (Saint Joseph), the largest cathedral in Hanoi wasopened at Christmas 1887, after two years of construction in the samearchitecture with the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. This is theplace of the Catholic solemnities and the procession of St. Joseph ofthe Hanoi Diocese on March 19 each year.
- Ham Long Church
This is a church of the Roman Catholic Church, of the Archdiocese ofHanoi, Vietnam. It is a place for the religious life of Hanoiparishioners and the major church of Ham Long parish.
The work was designed by a Vietnamese architect. The 17m-high churchwas completed in December 1934. The columns and altars are decoratedwith rope motifs like those on the tunic of the Francis order. Thechurch’s patron saint is St. Anthony of Padua.
Ham Long Church, facing Ham Long and Ngo Thi Nham streets, is considered one of the most beautiful in Hanoi.
- Cua Bac Cathedral
Cua Bac Cathedral, one of the most beautiful churches in Hanoi, islocated at No. 56 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ba Dinh District. It was builtat the northern gate (Cua Bac) of the Thang Long citadel, so it is alsonamed Cua Bac Church, in 1931-1932 (some documents said that it wasbuilt in 1927 under the French rule) by a French priest cum architect,combining the Asian – European style. It does not follow the rules ofsymmetry, with a high bell tower on the right and in balance with thecentral dome.
The Cua Bac Cathedral is not only a religious address but also an architectural work with many unique features.
- Thinh Liet Church
It is also known as the Lang Tam Church. The church’s name is relatedto the Bui family in Thinh Liet village. This is a famous family thatcontributed many important figures for the Vietnamese dynasties from theearly 15th century to the early 20th century, as well as many famouswriters for Vietnam during the five centuries. King Le Hien Tong grantedthis family with a horizontal lacquered board with four letters "SonNam Vong Toc" (A big family in Son Nam).
The church was built on the ground of the family temple of the Bui family.
- Phung Khoang Church
The church is located in the village of Phung Khoang in Trung Vancommune, Tu Liem district, Hanoi, close to the Hanoi - Ha Dong road,about 10 km from the city' heart.
The space here istypical for a peaceful rural Vietnam. The church was built in 1910, inFrench neoclassical architecture.
* Ho Chi Minh City
The churches in Saigon were mostly built in the latter half of the19th century, in the French-styled architecture combining with the Romanand Gothic styles of the medieval Europe. Some churches were built asan emotional support for the French government and some others wereconstructed to meet the spiritual needs of indigenous believers.
- Notre Dame Cathedral
This is the largest church in the city and was completed in 1880. Itis also known as the State church because it was built by the Frenchcolonial government. The church was later transferred to the Saigondiocese.
In the past, the Notre Dame Cathedral wasthe largest church among those built by the French in its colonies. Itwas built from Marseille bricks, colorful glass and steel frames fromFrance and green stone from Bien Hoa, Dong Nai province. TheRoman-styled doorways are reminiscent of the great cathedrals in Paris,Chartres or Reim in France.
The Notre Dame Cathedralhas absolutely no room for candles because it has been fullyilluminated by electric lights since its inauguration in 1880.
The construction of this work started on October 7, 1877, and it wasinaugurated on April 11, 1880. The church was designed in France, builtby a French engineer named Bourad.
- Tan Dinh Church
The Tan Dinh Church is smaller and was built for the Vietnameseparish. It is typical for the blend of architectural styles of Frenchchurches, which was built and expanded in several stages.
Inaugurated on December 16, 1876, Tan Dinh Church is one of thereligious buildings that were built early in Saigon. Located on abustling street, Tan Dinh Church has beautiful architecture from thearches to the finely carved details.
- Huyen Sy Church
The church imitates the style of small churches in France. This is oneof a few churches that used Bien Hoa granite in the façade, the baseand the main columns. The stone is very hard to carve patterns but itshows wealth.
There are tombs and statues of Mr. HuyenSy and his wife in the church. Huyen Sy was the richest man in Saigonat that time who built this church, named after him.
- Cha Tam Church
The Cha Tam Church or Francis Xavier Church in Cho Lon is decoratedwith horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences inside, likeChinese temples.
On December 3, 1900, at the Feast ofSt. Francis Xavier, Saigon Bishop Mossard placed the first stone forthe church built for the Chinese in Saigon.
Thechurch was inaugurated on January 10, 1902. After that, parish Tam Assonbuilt a school, a kindergarten, a boarding house, and houses for rentin the church.
In 1934, Father Tam died and he wasburied at the entrance wall of the church. Therefore, the church isoften called Cha Tam (Father Tam) Church.
In 1990, the church steeple and the sanctuary were refurbished.
- Cho Quan Church
The Cho Quan Church also has the Gothic-style architecture. It was built over 100 years ago in Cho Lon area.
Cho Quan is one of the oldest parishes of the Archdiocese of Ho ChiMinh City. The first chapel was built in this area in 1674 byparishioners from the northern and central regions.
After several renovation, in 1887 Father Nicola Ham built the new church. This work was inaugurated in the New Year 1896.-VNA
