Notre Dame Cathedral: The most brilliant Christmas coordinates in Saigon

Christmas atmosphere filled the city center

As the first days of December knock on the door, Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Ho Chi Minh City puts on a new, brilliant coat, signaling the coming of a peaceful Christmas season. This iconic structure quickly becomes the center of attraction for city residents and tourists to visit and capture memorable moments.

Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in - 1 — The space in front of Notre Dame Cathedral is splendidly decorated.

This year, the church is decorated more elaborately with a system of more than 1,000 LED lights, double the number compared to the previous festival season. The shimmering light covers the entire facade, combined with typical motifs such as bells, stars and pine trees, creating a magnificent and warm scene in the heart of the bustling city.

Special highlights of the 2025 holiday season

According to Father Ho Van Xuan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, the decoration is invested more carefully than every year because 2025 is the Holy Year of the Universal Catholic Church. This is an opportunity for the community to share the joy and festive atmosphere to the fullest.

Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in - 2 — The dense LED lighting system creates an impressive visual effect.

Every night, from 6:45 pm to 11:00 pm, the entire lighting system will be lit, turning this area into a space of light art. People from all over continuously flock to admire, including young people who compare this scene to being in Paris.

Everyone's meeting point

Not only a destination for Catholics, Notre Dame Cathedral during Christmas season is also a dating place for couples, a place for families to have fun and a place of discovery for international tourists.

Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in - 4 — Many families brought their children to take souvenir photos.

Mr. Pham Tan Phat (Binh Tri Dong Ward) shared that after seeing the church's image on social media, he brought his whole family here to stroll around and take souvenir photos. Many foreign tourists could not hide their surprise and excitement, stopping to record special moments during their trip to Vietnam.

Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in - 7 — Tourists and locals enjoy the festive atmosphere together.

Information to know when visiting

Time and place

Lighting time: 18:45 - 23:00 daily.
Decoration period: Lasts until January 5, 2026.
Address: No. 1 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe, District 1, HCMC.

Important Note

Notre Dame Cathedral is currently undergoing renovations, which began in 2017 and are expected to be completed in 2027. The surrounding area is fenced off to allow for construction work. Visitors can still admire and take photos from outside the fence.

Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in - 11 — The statue of Our Lady of Peace stands out in front of the church.

Some features of the iconic architectural work

Notre Dame Cathedral is not only a religious symbol but also one of the typical architectural works of Ho Chi Minh City. Started in 1877 according to the design of French architect J. Bourard, the church has bold Gothic and Roman architectural styles. In 1959, the Vatican conferred the title of Minor Basilica on this work. With a height of 60.5m, the church is an important architectural highlight in the history of urban development of the city.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/nha-tho-duc-ba-toa-do-giang-sinh-ruc-ro-nhat-sai-gon-3313924.html