St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Overview
St. Joseph's Cathedral, on Nhà Chung street west of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is a neo-Gothic church completed by the French in 1886 on the site of an older pagoda. Its two square bell towers and dark, weathered stone are modelled on Notre-Dame de Paris. It is still Hanoi's main Catholic church, with Mass in Vietnamese every day.
Get There
The cathedral is at 40 Nhà Chung in Hoàn Kiếm district, a 5-minute walk from the west side of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and about 10 minutes from the centre of the Old Quarter.
Hotels
The streets around the cathedral, including Nhà Thờ, Nhà Chung and Ấu Triệu, have small boutique hotels and are one of the most convenient places to stay in Hanoi.
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Visiting: Entry is free. The main doors open around Mass times; outside these, the gates are often closed and you can only see the outside. Mass times are posted at the gate. Cover shoulders and knees if you go inside.
Evenings: The cathedral is lit up after dark, and the small square in front fills with stools for trà chanh (iced lemon tea). It is busiest on weekend evenings.
Nearby: Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Old Quarter and the Vietnamese Women's Museum are all within 10 minutes on foot.
