Da Nang Cathedral stands out with its classic Gothic architecture – typical of Western churches and its striking pink color. This is a tourist destination that attracts a large number of domestic and foreign visitors to check in, making it a must-see attraction when visiting the coastal city of Da Nang.
Introduction to Danang Cathedral
The Cathedral is a popular tourist destination in Da Nang. This is one of the famous Catholic churches with impressive Gothic architecture. In addition to the name of the Da Nang Cathedral, this place also has many other names, such as Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Tourane Church, Da Nang Chicken Church, Da Nang Cathedral, Da Nang Cathedral Parish…
- Address of Da Nang Cathedral: 156 Tran Phu, Hai Chau 1 ward, Hai Chau district, Da Nang city
History and architecture of Danang Cathedral
The Cathedral in Da Nang is one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the city center. The construction began in February 1923 and was finished in March 1924. This is also the church in Da Nang that took the least amount of time to build during the French colonial period.
Father Louis Vallet designed and oversaw the building of the church on an empty lot on Rue du Musée (now Tran Phu Street). The church was dedicated and opened in March 1924. People named the church “Tourane Church” back then. Bishop Grangeon of the Quy Nhon Diocese and Bishop Allys of the Hue Diocese blessed the church on September 14, 1924. The name of the church is “Sacred Heart of Jesus”.
The church diocese was been up on January 18, 1963. Bishop Peter Maria, who was the first bishop of the Da Nang diocese, was also the first bishop of Quy Nhon. That same month, he officially took over the diocese, and the Da Nang church was named the Cathedral of the Da Nang diocese. As of now, the church has roughly 70,000 members.
What to see at Danang Cathedral
After nearly 100 years of construction, Da Nang Cathedral is still a favorite destination for many tourists visiting Da Nang city. At the cathedral, you can explore many unique things.
The main bell tower, standing at a height of 70 meters and surrounded by 10 smaller towers, is the church’s highest point. On the roof of the church, at the lightning rod position, there is a gray chicken symbol made of alloy.
Da Nang Cathedral’s typical Gothic architecture features windows shaped like diamonds. The glass windows show common events from the Bible and show how Vietnamese and French cultures have mixed, as well as how Western civilization has mixed with other cultures. Simple yet gravely adorned, the church’s interior features intricate carvings on its columns. There is also the Virgin Mary’s grotto beside the cathedral. It was designed after the Louder grotto in France and looks holy and calm.
Mass schedule and visiting hours
Reference opening hours:
- Weekdays: 5:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
- Schedule for attending mass at Danang Cathedral on weekdays: 5:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (On Saturdays, Danang Cathedral will celebrate Sunday mass)
- Sunday Mass includes the following times: 5:30, 8:00 (children’s mass), 10:00 (mass in English), 3:00, 4:30, 6:00
- Confession time at Da Nang Cathedral: 14:30 – 16:00 every Thursday and Saturday
How to get to Danang Cathedral
You can easily find Da Nang Cathedral because it is located at 156 Tran Phu – in the middle of the city. There are several ways to reach Danang Cathedral:
- From Da Nang International Airport, it’s around 3 miles. A taxi or ride-hailing car will take 7 to 10 minutes. Riding a motorbike along Nguyen Van Linh – Tran Phu street is also extremely quick.
- From Da Nang Railway Station, it’s around 2.5 km. You can take a cab, motorbike, or walk for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Take a cab or ride-hailing car from the Central Bus Station to the hotel. It will take about 15 minutes.
Photography tips at Danang Cathedral
Some tips for taking beautiful photos at Da Nang Cathedral that Lily’s Travel advises you:
- Take pictures in the early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft, there aren’t many shadows, and there aren’t too many people around. This will make the picture clear and not “lost” among other tourists.
- From the gate, pick a diagonal angle. This will show the whole bell tower and roof of the church, making the architecture look taller and more important.
- Use architectural characteristics to your advantage – get close-ups of stained glass windows, sculptures, or statues on the roof for beautiful photographs.
- Use the foreground: You can make the photo look deeper by standing behind the arched door frame or the trees in the yard.
- Wear the right attire: Light-colored, solid-color outfits or light dresses will look good against the church’s pastel pink tones.
Attractions near Danang Cathedral
Besides the Cathedral, Da Nang has many other attractive tourist destinations, such as: Ngu Hanh Son, known as Marble Mountains, Dragon Bridge, Quan Am Pagoda…
Marble Mountains
Marble Mountains is a complex of 5 limestone mountains located along the coast of Da Nang, symbolizing the 5 elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. This place is famous for its system of pagodas, caves, Non Nuoc stone carving village and majestic and poetic landscape, attracting many domestic and foreign tourists.
Read more: Thac Ba Lake: Vietnam hidden gem
Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge is one of the prominent symbols of Da Nang, designed in the shape of a dragon reaching out to the East Sea, symbolizing the strength and development aspirations of the city. The bridge is This attraction is especially appealing to visitors on Saturday and Sunday evenings, as well as on holidays, when the dragon breathes fire and water. In addition, from the bridge, you can see the whole Han River and the city’s sparkling lights at night.
From Da Nang Cathedral to Dragon Bridge is only about 1 km. You can walk about 10-15 minutes along Bach Dang Street, or take a taxi/motorbike for 3-5 minutes. You can easily combine the church with nearby places like Han Market or Love Bridge.
Quan Am Pagoda
Quan Am Pagoda in Da Nang is located at the foot of Kim Son Mountain in the Ngu Hanh Son complex, famous for its 17-meter-high statue of Quan The Am and its system of caves and bell towers with bold Vietnamese Buddhist architecture. The pagoda space is peaceful with many trees, and it is a place where visitors from all over come to worship, pray for peace, and enjoy the tranquility of nature.
Da Nang Cathedral is one of the places you definitely need to visit when coming to Da Nang. Therefore, you should arrange your schedule to have the right time to come here. More importantly, that time needs to be enough to be able to explore this unique church as well as learn about the history of one of the symbols of the coastal city of Da Nang.
Coming to Lily’s Travel, with more than 25 years of experience in the tourism industry, we can create a schedule that suits the needs of visitors. Most importantly, Lily’s Travel can arrange the most suitable time to visit Da Nang Cathedral for you. At the same time, visitors can still have time to visit the attractive tourist destinations around. Come to LIlyy’s Travel for advice and arrange the most suitable tour for you.
