Because of its peaceful and solemn aura, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City is a great place to escape the buzz of the intense city. Although the cathedral looks strangely out of place with its Gothic and Roman-style architecture, it is certainly a great contrast to the typical plain structures of the city. Constructed by the French during the 1800s, the two twin towers of more than 190 feet never fail to capture the interest of passers-by.
The current site of the cathedral was once home to the Saigon Church, a small and wooden church constructed in 1863 by the French. Through time, termites eventually invaded the structure, making room for the bidding of a new design of a church. J. Bourad, who was a French architect, won the contest with his bold, neo-Roman design. Construction began in 1877. At the time of its completion, the Basilica was the most beautiful cathedral made of its kind among all French colonies. …