Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saigon
Two red brick spires shipped from Toulouse, planted in the middle of the colonial quarter.
Duration
20 min – 40 min
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Built between 1877 and 1880, the cathedral was raised entirely from materials shipped from France — the red brick came from Marseille, and it has never been painted or refaced. The two spires, added in 1895, take it to fifty-eight metres.
It has been under heavy restoration since 2017, fully scaffolded, with the interior closed to visitors. So you look at it from the square, where it faces the old central post office of the same period.
Getting there
Cong xa Paris square, District 1. The central post office is across the square and can be visited freely.
Rules on site
Restoration is ongoing: the interior stays closed and scaffolding covers the front. Check the state of the works before travelling for this alone.
Checked on 28 August 2026 at Vietnam Discovery — Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saigon
Other places in Ho Chi Minh City
War Remnants MuseumThe Vietnam War told by those who lived through it. Hard, documented, essential to understanding the country.
Reunification PalaceThe South Vietnamese presidential palace, frozen at 30 April 1975, when a tank drove through its gates.
Ben Thanh MarketThe belly of Saigon: spices, fakes, soup eaten standing, and a night market that takes over.
- Cu Chi TunnelsThe underground network of the Vietnam War, partly walkable. Claustrophobia: stay out, the tunnels are tight.