Located right in the center of Saigon, at the corner of Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Tran Quoc Thao streets, in the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh City Archbishop's Palace, this chapel is considered the oldest house in Saigon today, more than two centuries old.
Going back in history, in 1799, the house was built by King Gia Long - Nguyen Anh as a residence for Bishop Pigneau de Behaine, who was the direct teacher of Prince Canh at that time. At that time, the house was located on the right bank of Thi Nghe canal (now Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden area).
Saigon Archdiocese, located in District 3.
The house still retains the traditional architectural style of an old Vietnamese house with three main rooms and two side rooms.
A quiet and peaceful space in the heart of bustling Saigon
In 1864, the Thi Nghe area decided to build a zoo and zoo, so the old house was moved to the missionary land (near the current Reunification Palace). In 1911, when the current Bishop's Palace was completed, the house was moved here and preserved until today.
A very notable highlight of the chapel is the rare symbol of 'two dragons facing the cross', placed on the roof. This is a variation of the symbol of 'two dragons facing the moon' - which often appears in Vietnamese temple architecture. This variation appears as a matter of course, because this is a work of Catholics. From a cultural perspective, the combination of a symbol of Vietnamese architectural culture with changes to better suit the meaning of Western religion has enhanced the beauty of this work.
Symbol of the house.
The whole house is built of precious wood.
The elaborate carvings on the doors and walls are uneroded and intact.
Structurally, the house is made entirely of wood with frames that are tightly joined together using mortise and tenon techniques without using any nails.
The elaborate carvings on the doors and walls have not been eroded and are still intact. The decorative motifs are meticulously and elaborately carved right at the main door, creating balance and antiquity, demonstrating the unique creativity of the ancients.
Today, the house is a place of worship for Christians on holy days. On Sundays or mornings, the house is open for worship. Believers can come here to meditate and pray in this unique old house.
The front of the Saigon Archdiocese, where this 200-year-old house is currently 'hidden'.
Thinh - the author of the article - was completely captivated by the ancient beauty of the house.
About the author:Thinh, a writer on cultural geography, currently lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City. Thinh is a storyteller, through articles, photo collections or reports. The author's stories are very personal shares from his personal perspective and feelings during his journeys everywhere.
