ChurchFree entryClosed Interior closed to sightseeing visitors until the restoration ends

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

#1of 10 places to visit in Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City, Southeast Vietnam, Vietnam

Also known as Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral · Nha Tho Duc Ba · Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Quick answer

Opening hours: Open at all hours. Entry is free. Allow 30 min. Best time: 07:00 - 09:00 or 16:30 - 17:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: Open 24h; The interior is closed to sightseeing visitors until the restoration ends. The exterior and forecourt can be viewed from the square at any hour. Mass times listed by third-party guides for 2026: Monday to Saturday 05:30 and 17:30; Sunday 05:30, 08:00, 09:30 (English), 16:00, 17:30 and 19:00.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 30 min
Best time of day: 07:00 - 09:00 or 16:30 - 17:30
Best months: Dec – Mar
Address: 1 Cong Xa Paris Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000

About Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon has been closed to sightseeing visitors since its restoration began in July 2017, and as of 2026 only the exterior and the square are open to the public. The cathedral is a Romanesque-Gothic red-brick church built between 1877 and 1880 from materials shipped from France, with twin bell towers 58 metres tall and a total height of 60.5 metres to the cross. Two newly made gold-plated crosses, each about 3.7 metres tall, were lifted onto the towers on 19 March 2026, but sources still put the end of the works at 2027 or later.

Best time of day: 07:00 - 09:00 or 16:30 - 17:30. When the brick facade takes low side light and the square is cooler.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon timings

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday.

Opening hours: Open 24h; Mon–Sun 00:00–23:59; The interior is closed to sightseeing visitors until the restoration ends. The exterior and forecourt can be viewed from the square at any hour. Mass times listed by third-party guides for 2026: Monday to Saturday 05:30 and 17:30; Sunday 05:30, 08:00, 09:30 (English), 16:00, 17:30 and 19:00.
Closed on: Interior closed to sightseeing visitors until the restoration ends

Mon–Sun	00:00–23:59

Good to know: Restoration hoardings and scaffolding remain around parts of the building; completion is expected in 2027 or later.

Opening hours compiled from hochiminhcity.gov.vn and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon ticket price

Entry fees for Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	Free
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

There is no entry fee to the square and exterior, as of 2026. The interior is closed to sightseeing visitors during the restoration and opens only to worshippers at Mass. Restoration status and completion date should be verified locally, as sources currently give end-2027 or later.

Prices compiled from hochiminhcity.gov.vn and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

06:00 - 08:00
Early MorningBest time to go
Worshippers arrive for the first Masses and the square is quiet; the brick facade takes soft light.
Quiet
08:00 - 11:00
Tour Stop Peak
Group tours, wedding photographers and scooter tourists crowd the paved forecourt and the crossing to the Post Office.
Busy
11:00 - 15:00
Midday Heat
Direct sun on the square and few shaded spots; visitors move on quickly.
Moderate
15:00 - 19:00
Evening Gathering
Locals and photographers fill the square; evening Mass draws worshippers to the doors.
Busy

History of Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon was built by the French colonial administration between 1877 and 1880 as the city's main Catholic church, using tiles, brick and other materials imported from France. It carried the plain name Church of Saigon until 1959, when a statue of Our Lady of Peace was installed in the forecourt. In 1962 Pope John XXIII raised the church to a basilica, giving it its full title, Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

Restoration began in July 2017 under the Archdiocese of Saigon, with Belgian specialists reported to be leading the technical work, after more than a century without major repair. Work has covered roof tiles, drainage, the bell towers and zinc-clad spire bases, and the original crosses came down in March 2023. The 12 bronze bells, about 28.85 tonnes in total, were silenced during the works and replaced by a temporary set of smaller bells. The project has repeatedly overrun its original 2021 target because of COVID-19 and the difficulty of sourcing matching European materials.

Rules & etiquette at Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is an active place of worship, and worshippers attending Mass are expected to cover shoulders and knees. The interior is not open for sightseeing, so tourists should not queue at the doors or attempt to enter during services. Photography of the exterior is unrestricted, but restoration fences and hoardings currently block the direct frontal view from parts of the square.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon stands in a paved square that draws wedding photographers and street sellers at all hours. Vendors approach with postcards and small items, and a firm refusal is enough. Pickpocketing occurs in the crowds by the square and at the nearby crossings, so keep phones in a front pocket.

Tips for visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

1
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is best treated as a 30-minute exterior stop rather than a destination in its own right while the works continue. The strongest views are from across the road, where the twin towers and the Virgin statue sit against the sky, and from the steps of the Central Post Office on the opposite side of the square.
2
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon draws worshippers to its Sunday Mass at 09:30 in English, according to 2026 listings; visitors who attend as worshippers should arrive early and stay through the service. Check the restoration status locally before planning around an interior visit, since the completion date has slipped several times. The cathedral is a 1.5km walk from the War Remnants Museum and 0.9km from Ben Thanh Market, so it fits between them without a taxi.

How to reach Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

The red star is Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

1 Cong Xa Paris Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000Directions in Google Maps

From Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)
8 km · 25-40 min
150,000-250,000 VND taxi/Grab; bus 109, roughly 15,000-20,000 VND.
From Opera House Metro Station (Line 1)
0.9 km · 12 min on foot
Free on foot; metro fares run 7,000-20,000 VND depending on distance.
From Ben Thanh Market
1.2 km · 15 min
Free on foot; 20,000-30,000 VND Grab.

Nearest airport

From Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)

about 8km, 25-40 minutes by road depending on traffic.

Nearest station

From Opera House Metro Station (Line 1)

about 0.9km, 12 minutes on foot; Ben Thanh Station is about 1.2km.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon FAQs

Can tourists go inside Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon?

No, the interior is closed to sightseeing visitors while restoration continues, as of 2026. It opens only to worshippers at Mass, and the exterior and square remain open all day at no charge.

When will the Notre-Dame Cathedral restoration finish?

Sources currently give 2027 or later, and the target has slipped since the original 2021 goal. Two new gold-plated crosses were installed on the towers on 19 March 2026; verify the latest status locally.

What time is Mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon?

Monday to Saturday Mass is at 05:30 and 17:30, and Sunday Mass is at 05:30, 08:00, 09:30 (English), 16:00, 17:30 and 19:00, according to 2026 third-party listings. Verify with the parish before attending.

Is Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon worth visiting while it is under restoration?

Yes, as a short exterior stop of about 30 minutes. The red-brick facade, twin towers and Virgin statue are visible, and the Central Post Office is directly across the square.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places