St Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi: Location, History, Opening Hours
Introduction to St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi
St. Joseph’s Cathedral is the oldest Catholic church in Hanoi. Althought having gone through two fierce wars (French War & Vietnam War), the church can still keep standing peacefully in the bustling city and has witnessed many ups and downs in the Capital city.
- Address: Nhà Thờ Street, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội.
- Email: chinhtoahn@gmail.com
- Phone Number: +84961860640
- Working Hours: 8:00 – 11:00, 14:00 – 17:00 (Mon – Fri)
- Visiting Hours: 8:00 – 11:00; 14:00 – 17:00 (Mon – Sat)
- Website for Mass Schedule Details: https://giaoxuchinhtoahanoi.org/CT/gio-le/
St. Joseph’s Church is a famous historical site that is always included in any travel itinerary for travelers visiting Hanoi. The building is one of the first architectural works built by the French colonialists in Indochina. Despite fierce wars devastating nearly all ever Hanoi, St Joseph’s Cathedral can still miraculously stand intact.
Opening Hours and Mass Schedule of the Church
The cathedral is open free to the public every day, except from 8.00am to 11.00 am and 1.00pm to 5.00 pm on Sundays. Meanwhile, the church is open for religious activities at 5:30 am and 6:15 pm from Mondays to Fridays, 5:30 am and 6 pm on Saturdays. For mass schedule, the church is open many times during the day, at 5 am, 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm.
History of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Vietnam
St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi was first built during the French colonial period. This is a typical example of colonial architectural works in the Capital city of Vietnam.
Before it was built, there used to be a Buddhist temple named Bao Thien at the grounds. This Buddhist temple was the biggest and most sacred during the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) and Tran Dynasty (1225-1400). At the end of the 18th century, some parts of the Buddhist temple were destroyed to set up a market. Then, the church was constructed at the site, initially of wood. It was then reconstructed with baked clay in 1884, and on Christmas of 1888, the construction was finished.
During the French colonial time, Catholicism was widely spread, and St Joseph’s Cathedral became the center of Catholicism in Hanoi and Northern Vietnam. There were daily and weekly religious ceremonies organized in the cathedral at that time. It served as a religious destination for hundreds of thousands of Catholics in the Northern region as well as a hiding spot for Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers.
In 1954, after the retreat of French colonists from Northern Vietnam, the cathedral was closed and put under the administration of North Vietnam Government – the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government. The cathedral was opened again for the Catholics on Christmas in 1990.
Architecture of St. Joseph’s Cathedral
The cathedral has peaceful and ancient beauty in bustling Hanoi. It is 20.5 meters in width and 64.5 meters in length. The facade is made up of two square bell towers with a height of 31.5 meters and a big clock, which resembles the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. There is a copper statue of Mother Maria in front of the church, and the surroundings are decorated with iron gates, trees and flowers.
St. Joseph’s Cathedral is a beautiful classic work of Gothic style built in Vietnam. Its design features high domes and colorful tall glass windows, and there are also many pictures of Jesus Christ all around.
In addition to the Gothic architecture, the architecture of the church also has some features of the Vietnamese architecture. The frame of the building is made of baked clay bricks, pasteboard walls and red tiles. Worship altars are also decorated with red and golden gilded wood, a common element in traditional Vietnamese pagodas and temples.
St Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi: How to get there?
St. Joseph’s Cathedral is located in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, at the intersection of Streets Nha Chung, Ly Quoc Su, and Nha Tho and very close to Hoan Kiem Lake with walking distance. So, it is quite easy to get to St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
From Hoan Kiem Lake, you can head to Hang Gai Street and keep walking until you see Ly Quoc Su Street on the left. Then walk along Ly Quoc Su Street to the end and you will see the Cathedral on the right.
There are many convenient means of transportation for you to get to St. Joseph’s Cathedral. You can take a cyclo (rickshaw) or a taxi/grab or ride your own motorbike or bicycle. Alternatively, you can take a public bus that stops nearby and then walk to the cathedral.
- Buses No. 9, 14, and 36: Bus stop at Hoan Kiem Lake
- Bus No. 1: Bus stop on Trieu Quoc Dat Street
- Bus No. 2: Bus stop on Trang Thi Street
