These days, passers-by may be a little surprised at the appearance of the building. But it’s just temporary. The scaffolding will soon be removed in a few months when the cathedral gets a new lick of paint.
The cathedral is now covered with scaffolding for the renovation. Photo by Dantri
The Catholic Cathedral of Hanoi was built in the late 19th century, in European Gothic style. The exterior walls of the church are made of granite stone slabs, with the two bell towers standing 31.5m in height.
In the middle of the front entrance, a cross stands high, while a big round clock was installed underneath.
In general, the architecture is not too complicated with the combination of European Gothic style and local architecture.
The bell towers contain five bells with one big bell and four smaller ones, which connect with the clock to ring on the hour.
The clock has been working for over 100 years.
The cathedral was built on the foundations of an old pagoda between 1884 and 1886. It was inaugurated at Christmas of 1887. The cathedral has remained a centre of Catholic activities in the capital and its vicinity.
