Overview of Nha Trang Cathedral
Nha Trang Cathedral is one of the famous tourist attractions in Nha Trang. It is a lovely classic European-style church with its poetic and beautiful seascapes and unique landscapes. This church is also known for its impressive spiritual architecture work. In particular, the stone churches of Nha Trang are the pride of Catholics in this seaside city. Let’s join Vietnam Shore Excursions to get more information about this attractive church.
Where is Nha Trang Cathedral?
Arriving in Nha Trang, you can relax, swim or admire the beautiful scenery, as well as get to know the unique historical sights. One of the historical sites not to be missed is Nha Trang Cathedral – an ancient church with a unique Western-style structure.
Saigon has an ancient Notre-Dame cathedral with traces of French architecture, while Nha Trang city has a sacred stone church.
History of Nha Trang Cathedral
In the 1880s, France established a colonial government in Nha Trang. They built a temporary chapel on the beach of Nha Trang to meet the religious needs of parishioners and French officials. Currently, it is the territory of Nha Trang Bishopric. The greatest contributor to the construction of this cathedral was the French parish – Louis Vallee.
Construction of the Stone Church in Nha Trang officially began on September 3, 1928. When the French arrived in Nha Trang, they cut the Hon Mot Mountain in half and leveled the land with 500 anti-personnel mines to free up an area of 4500 square meters for the construction of the church.
On May 14, 1933, Nha Trang Cathedral’s grand opening was held. In 1934, a devout woman in Saigon presented a bell to Ambassador Dreyer and she was given the name Teresa of the Infant Jesus. However, the bell tower was not opened until December 3, 1935.
Nha Trang Cathedral is the oldest church here, over 80 years old. It is the combination of uniqueness and luxury. The church has various names. It is located in Nha Trang city, so it is called Nha Trang Cathedral – the most popular name. When you reach Intersection 6, people call it Nga Sau Church because the cathedral is nearby. The church is also known as the Stone Church in Nha Trang. However, its official name is the Christ the King Cathedral.
Nha Trang Cathedral is one of the famous architectural works in the heart of the city. Towering 12 meters high, the Stone Church of Nha Trang has a total area of more than 700 square meters. Imbued with history and culture, these ancient religious works attract many tourists and are one of the must-sees in Nha Trang.
Address: 31 Thai Nguyen, Phuoc Tan, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa
Opening Hours:
- Weekdays: 4:45 a.m – 5:00 p.m
- Sunday: 5:00 a.m – 7:00 a.m and 11:00 a.m – 4:30 p.m
Nha Trang Cathedral Mass Times:
- Weekdays: 4:45 a.m and 5:00 p.m
- Sunday: 5:00 a.m, 7:00 a.m, 9:30 a.m, 3:00 p.m, 4:30 p.m, 6:30 p.m
Church Entrance Fee: Ticket-free
Astounding view from above of Nha Trang Cathedral (Source: collected)
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The Unique Beauty of Nha Trang Vietnam Cathedral
Nha Trang Cathedral deserves to be one of Nha Trang’s greatest tourist attractions. The stone church has a unique and lively beauty that cannot be compared with.
Magnificent hall
Nha Trang Cathedral consists of three separate parts with clear Gothic architectural features. In the lower part is a door, in the middle part is a large round stained-glass window decorated with roses, and in the upper part is a corridor and two bell towers.
The great hall is the most prominent highlight of the church. This area is spacious and well-ventilated, big and airy, and full of light every morning. The solemnity of this place makes people feel the peace and relaxation of mind.
This unique Gothic cathedral was built by the architect’s talented hands. You have to go through the Tien Dan gate. There are two rows of straight, neatly spaced seats in front of you and the middle path will lead to the statue of Jesus.
The cathedral is very large and beautiful and has the shape of a curved arch pointing straight into the sky. On the wall is a picture of Jesus’s life of suffering through the 14 choirs.
The absolute advantage of the cathedral is that light can shine into the entire great hall. With the use of green and red tones inside the cathedral, along with the window of roses, the incoming light will make the hall filled with colors. The cathedral truly makes the most of natural light, which is its unique feature. When the lights shine through the colorful glasses, a magical space is created inside.
Although being over 90 years old, it has withstood rain and sun. Thanks to its unique structure, the mountain church still retains its ancient architectural values. Currently, Nha Trang Cathedral is included in the list of relics and landscapes of Khanh Hoa province.
Impressive Bell Tower
The architecture of Nha Trang Cathedral is divided into three zones. At the top are a corridor and two bell towers. The central area consists of stained-glass windows. In the lower part is the door.
The most striking part of the church is the belfry area with two bronze bells created by the famous French bell company Bourdon Carillond. When ringing, the sound will reverberate throughout the region.
In particular, the bell tower has a large clock with four clock faces pointing in four sides. If you live near the Stone Church in Nha Trang and want to know the time, you can look at the clock there.
Must-try activities at Nha Trang Cathedral
The priests are very friendly. You can come and talk with them. They will be happy to share, listen and help you feel more comfortable and relieved.
If you come here every morning or afternoon, you can also join in the sermon class. Since the locals are mostly Christians, it is an important spiritual pillar of the religion. People often come here to put their minds at rest, pray for the best, and live a full, peaceful, and happy life. They believe in God who always protects and helps them.
The Stone Church of Nha Trang is a favorite destination among tourists. Nha Trang Stone Church is also the place of choice for couples as a place to keep the wonderful memories of their wedding day.
With its beautiful, unique, and ancient Western-style architecture, Nha Trang Stone Church is not to be missed while traveling to Nha Trang.
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Nha Trang Cathedral Map
How to get to Nha Trang Cathedral?
It is very easy to get to the Stone Church in Nha Trang. You can take a taxi or motorbike to go to the church. Firstly, you have to go to Intersection 6 in the city center. From here, you can see the cross towering over the church bell. Standing at a height of 12 meters, it is clearly visible from afar. From Intersection 6, go to Tran Phu Street and it will take about 10 minutes to reach the church.
For travelers who want to visit Nha Trang Cathedral with private transport, you can book private tours from Vietnam Shore Excursions. Professional and knowledgeable tour guides will share profoundly many interesting stories about Catholics, as well as the local life of local people during the tour. Here are some Nha Trang Tours which customers can find out and book for you and your group.
- Nha Trang Shore Excursions
- Nha Trang Tour Package 4 Days
- Nha Trang City Tour Half Day
- Nha Trang Tour Full Day
Things to remember when visiting Nha Trang Cathedral
If you just visit and take pictures, you must be careful during prayer time. Because you cannot be noisy inside the church during that time. In particular, travelers can freely enter the public-permitted areas in the church. The church is a sacred place, so pay attention to your attire. Please wear neat clothes. Skirts or pants must be knee-length.
Moreover, you should look out for scams. There might be scammers at the front and back gates of the church, tricking foreign tourists into collecting “entrance fees” of up to VND 50,000 per person. The entrance to Nha Trang Stone Church is absolutely free.
In conclusion, visiting Nha Trang Cathedral will undoubtedly bring a special feeling to travelers exploring Nha Trang. The Stone Church of Nha Trang has interesting features that evoke a variety of emotions in visitors with its peaceful beauty of classical architecture.
