Nha Trang Cathedral – A unique Gothic church of the coastal city

Contents

Nha Trang Cathedral is the pride of Catholics in Nha Trang (Source: Collected)

Nha Trang Cathedral is not only a famous tourist destination but also the pride of Catholics in the coastal city. Therefore, when traveling to Nha Trang, in addition to admiring the poetic beauty of the sea, exploring the landscape, and enjoying delicious food, tourists should not miss out on visiting this ancient structure.

1. Overview of Nha Trang Cathedral

Location: No. 01 Thai Nguyen street, Phuoc Tan ward, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province (At the intersection between Nguyen Trai street and Thai Nguyen Street, on the top of Hoang Lan hill)

Opening hours:

• Monday – Saturday: 5:30 am – 5:00 pm
• Sunday: 5:00 am – 7:00 am and 11 am – 4:30 pm

Prayer hours:

• Monday – Saturday: 4:45 am, 5 pm
• Sunday: 5 am, 7 am, 9:30 am, 3 pm, 4:30 pm, 6:30 pm

Nha Trang Cathedral goes by many names (Source: Collected)

Other names: Christ the King Cathedral; Mountain Church (because it is located on the top of Hoang Lan hill); Catholic Church (because it is a Catholic church in Nha Trang); Nha Trang Stone Church (because it was built of stone); Nga Sau Church (because it is located near the 6-way intersection of Thai Nguyen street), etc.

History:

Back in 1885, Nha Trang consisted of only a few fishing villages scattered along the coast. At that time, there were not many Catholics. They often lived and performed religious activities in Cho Moi Parish Church.

In 1886, the French colonial government came to Nha Trang to build the government and constructed two great structures, namely the Pasteur Institute and the Institute of Oceanography. To meet the needs for religious activities of the parishioners of Nha Trang and the French living there, a small chapel was temporarily erected on the beach of Nha Trang.

Seeing the need for religious activities of the people, priest Louis Vallet (1869-1945) established a new parish in Nha Trang and proceeded to build a new church, which is now Nha Trang Cathedral. The cathedral is said to have been built in 1933.

Nha Trang Cathedral has a long history (Source: Collected)

2. Inside Nha Trang Cathedral in Vietnam

The cathedral has a length of 36 meters and a width of 20 meters. The overall layout of the cathedral is bold, with stereoscopic stone blocks being its feature. Having Gothic architecture, the cathedral may resemble a structure in one of the majestic and attractive cities of ancient Rome.

2.1. The unique Gothic-style hall

The highlight of Nha Trang Cathedral is its European Gothic-style hall. Behind the door are two rows of seats perfectly arranged in line, with an aisle that leads directly to a statue of Jesus.

The cathedral is very wide and airy. Its arches are designed like an arrow harmoniously and beautifully pointing straight up to the sky. Besides, visitors can easily recognize the paintings of the suffering life of Jesus, which are also meticulously displayed on the walls of the cathedral.

Another plus point is the color and light coordination that keeps the hall space majestic and mysterious.

The hall is the highlight of Nha Trang Cathedral (Source: Collected)

2.2. The mysterious bell tower

The cathedral is divided into 3 sections: The front section consists of the corridor and a bell tower; the middle section is full of colorful glass windows; the back section is the exit.

An impressive feature of the cathedral is the bell tower area, with two bronze bells crafted by the famous French bell company Bourdon Carillond. When the bells ring, its sound will echo throughout the region.

In particular, on the bell tower, there is a large clock with 4 faces on every side. Residents near Nha Trang Cathedral can look up at the clock to see the time.

You can see the bell tower of Nha Trang Cathedral with its clock from afar (Source: Collected)

3. Things you should know when visiting the Stone Church in Nha Trang city

3.1. Nha Trang Cathedral entrance fee

The cathedral is a free-to-enter attraction, with no ticket required. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful of scammers selling fake tickets at the entrance and exit areas of the cathedral.

3.2. How to get to Nha Trang Stone Church?

As one of the extremely attractive tourist attractions in Nha Trang, the way to the cathedral is extremely simple and convenient. You just need to ask the locals how to reach the 6-way intersection in the city center. From there, you can see a cross on the top of the cathedral’s bell tower. Because it was built on the top of Bong mountain with a height of 12 meters, you can easily see that cross even from afar. From the intersection, if you go onto Tran Phu street, it will only take you about 10 minutes to reach the cathedral.

It is free to enter Nha Trang Cathedral (Source: Collected)

3.3. TOP things to do at Nha Trang Cathedral

Tourists can pay a visit to the cathedral at any time of the year. However, the ideal time to explore the cathedral is from November to February.

Every day in the morning or in the afternoon, visitors can participate in a sermon to relax their souls and pray for themselves and their families. Here, visitors can walk on the steps leading to the large courtyard in the cathedral, admire the beautiful classical architectural style, and feel the sacredness and religiousness filled in the space.

Taking photos is also an interesting activity. Future spouses often choose this place to capture their memorable moments ahead of their big day.

Nha Trang Cathedral is an ideal place to take nice photos (Source: Collected)

3.4. Note for tourists when visiting Nha Trang Cathedral Vietnam

Coming to the cathedral, you should pay attention to the prayer hours above and avoid making noise that may disturb the praying, especially in the hall. You should also pay attention to the way you dress. It is best to wear polite clothes, such as long skirts and pants.

In addition to churches and temples, Nha Trang is famous for many other exciting and attractive entertainment destinations such as VinWonders Nha Trang. As one of the biggest amusement parks in Vietnam, there are countless awesome activities which await you and your companions to explore. With 6 subdivisions, namely Fairy Land, Adventure Land, World Garden, Water World, Sea World… the park will certainly bring to you fantastic experiences.

After Nha Trang Cathedral, VinWonders Nha Trang will be the perfect place for you to explore

>>> Book entrance tickets to VinWonders Nha Trang and have fun at this wonderful park!

With the peaceful beauty of classical architecture, Nha Trang Cathedral will surely be a fantastic destination for visitors in their journey to discover Nha Trang. If you have the opportunity to come to this beautiful coastal city, be sure to pay a visit to the cathedral. Don’t forget to book voucher, combo, tour to Nha Trang for your upcoming trip and book entrance tickets to VinWonders Nha Trang to miss out on a wonderful opportunity to relax.