St. Joseph's Cathedral

St. Joseph's Cathedral is a Neo-Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral located at 1 Nha Tho Street in Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem District, central Hanoi. Built between 1884 and 1886 during the French colonial period and modeled after Notre-Dame de Paris, it serves as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi. Notable for its twin bell towers, pointed arches and stained-glass windows, it is one of Hanoi's most recognizable landmarks near Hoan Kiem Lake.

Visitors can expect a Neo-Gothic stone cathedral with twin bell towers, a rose window, pointed arches and stained-glass interior in a small plaza in Hanoi's Old Quarter area. The exterior is accessible for viewing and photography at all times, while interior access is generally limited to mass times and designated visiting hours. The surroundings include Nha Tho Street with cafes, souvenir shops and pedestrian areas, close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Inside, visitors can see the vaulted nave, altar, and religious statues when open.

Constructed between 1884 and 1886 during the French colonial period on the site of the former Bao Thien Pagoda, the cathedral was designed in Neo-Gothic style and inaugurated on December 24, 1886. It was built under the French administration and became the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi, representing one of the earliest major French colonial religious structures in Hanoi.

The cathedral is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi and an important religious center for the Catholic community in northern Vietnam. It is a prominent cultural and architectural landmark in central Hanoi, widely visited for its religious services, especially Christmas and Easter masses, and for its historical and architectural value.