St Joseph's Cathedral is the well-known church in Hanoi city due to its unique architecture and a long lasting history. This cathedral is the first architecture constructed by the French colonial government in Indochina.  Although expanding two fierce wars St Joseph's Cathedral remains miraculously intact and standing peaceful in the city. 

Overview of St Joseph’s Cathedral Hanoi

St Joseph's Cathedral was built by French colonial and one of the famous colonial architectural works in Hanoi city . The church is located on the intersection of Nha Chung, Ly Quoc Su, Nha Tho streets. You can easily see the church due to its twin towers and stained windows. 

St Joseph's Cathedral used to be a Buddhist pagoda which was named as Bao Thien at the grounds. In the 18th century, some parts of the pagoda were destroyed to construct a market and the church was also built. 

St Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi

At the beginning, the church was built by wood. However, in 1884, St Joseph's Cathedral was resonated with baked clay. In 1888, the church was opened to welcome tourists. 

At that time, St Joseph’s Cathedral was a Cathlicism in Northern Vietnam to widely spread  Catholicism. Many ceremonies organized in the cathedral were held each day, attracting thousands of Catholics in the Northern region. Besides, St Joseph’s Cathedral was also a hiding spot for Vietnamese soldiers. 

Two girl takes a photo with cathedral

After the French colonists retreated to northern Vietnam in 1954, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government administered the cathedral. Until 1990, the cathedral became open again. 

Highlight architecture of St Joseph’s Cathedral

Explore the beauty of ancient and peaceful Joseph's Cathedral between the bustling and hustle in the city. The cathedral has a length of 64,5m and a width of 20,5m. The exterior has two bell towers which are more than 31,5m in height and a big cook. 

Bronze statue of Virgin Mary and child

There is a stone cross in the peak of the cathedral and there is a Mother Maria's statue in the front of the church which is made of copper. The walls around  the St Joseph’s Cathedral were built of brick and plastered. The devastation of wars left historical marks on walls.

Entering the Cathedral, you will see the colorful tall glass windows and high domes surrounding Jesus Christ. 

Wht to do in St Joseph’s Cathedral? 

Join the ceremony on the weekend

If you want to know about a Catholic ceremony, you should visit the cathedral on the weekend. It is an exciting experience for tourists. Most of the ceremonies in this church are so big and formal. The priest read the bible and organized baptisms, ablutions for Catholics.

Snap a photo at St Joseph’s Cathedral

St Joseph's Cathedral is a beautiful place to take photos in the capital. There are several couples to this place to take wedding photos as well as students choosing it to snap yearbook photos.

Taking photos before St Joseph's cathedral

Enjoy at Christmas on the cathedral

St. Joseph's Cathedral is decorated with colorful lights at Christmas. There is a big Christmas tree with various flowers, creating a charming atmosphere. Besides, visiting the cathedral on Christmas, you can enjoy many activities held at the church. There are several many families, friends, and couples who enjoy the cathedral. 

Christmas on St Joseph's cathedral

Try street food 

Enjoying some street food near the cathedral is the best experience. Sitting on the colorful plastic chair, admire the beauty of St Joseph's Cathedral and enjoy the dishes and drinks such as lemon tea, dumpling, grilled fermented pork rolls... 

How to get to St Joseph’s Cathedral? 

St. Joseph's Cathedral is situated in the city center, close to Hoan Kiem lake. So, you can reach the Cathedral in many other ways. If you depart from Hoan Kiem lake, you can head to Hang Gai street, after which you continue to Ly Quoc Su street. Strolling around Ly Quoc Su street, seeing the Cathedral. 

You can choose a bus to save your budget. Some buses route to get to the Cathedral such as N0.09, N0.14, N0.34, N0.34... 

However, you should book a Hanoi city tour by private car to explore many attractions in Hanoi such as Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, One Pillar Pagoda.. 

Don't miss out visiting St Joseph's Cathedral when you travel to Hanoi. The cathedral has endured fierce wars, witnessing several events over some few centuries but remains of ancient beauty, attracting many local and international and iconic symbols of Hanoi.