Famous religious sites in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Whether you follow any religious beliefs, or when you come to a new destination, a new city or country and religion is something you want to learn and explore, from architectural works to local religious history, we have a list of religious sites in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City for you to visit.

With the diversity of religions and freedom of belief of the Vietnamese people, it is not difficult to see that right in District 1, there are countless pagodas and churches. Religions coexist and develop, bringing diverse colors of beliefs not only to District 1 but also to Saigon.

List of religious sites in District 1

1. Catholic Church:

Notre Dame Cathedral 

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral was designed and constructed in the period of 1877 - 1880, is a symbol of Ho Chi Minh City where visitors to the city all come to visit at least once. The special feature of the project is that all construction materials were imported from France, in which all unplastered orange-red bricks still retain their original colour to the present. The two sharp peaks on the bell tower were added in 1984, once the highest place in the city at that time, tourists consider it a landmark to recognize Saigon from afar.

• Address: No. 01 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mass hours Monday to Saturday: 5:30, 17:30
• Mass hours on Sunday: 5:30, 6:45, 8:00, 9:30 (mass in English), 16:00, 17:15, 18:30

Huyện Sỹ Church

Huyện Sỹ Church, also known as Cho Duoi Church (corner of Ton That Tung - Nguyen Trai, District 1) was built in 1902 - 1905. The church is in Gothic architecture. Inside the high tower are 4 bells cast in France in 1905. Located in the center of District 1, this place is also an attractive destination for visitors.

• ​​Address: 1 Ton That Tung Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mass hours from Monday to Saturday: 5:00, 17:30
• Mass hours on Sunday: 5:00, 6:30, 8:00, 8:30, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30

Tan Dinh Church (Pink Church)

Although located in District 3, it borders District 1 (separated by Hai Ba Trung Street), so many people mistakenly think that Tan Dinh Church belongs to District 1. Tan Dinh Church (or its more familiar name as the Pink Church) was built in 1870 - 1876, attracting domestic and foreign tourists with its striking pink paint color, different from most Catholic buildings in Vietnam. The entire church has been painted pink on the outside and lighter pink on the inside since 1957. The overall church is in the Gothic architectural style, with many details in Roman and Baroque styles.

• Address: 289 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mass hours Monday to Friday: 5am, 6:15am, 5:30pm, 7pm
• Mass hours on Saturday and Sunday: 5am, 6:15am, 7:30am, 9:00am, 4:00pm, 5:30pm, 7pm

Saint Joseph Seminary in Saigon

Situated along Ton Duc Thang Street (District 1), Saint Joseph Seminary in Saigon was founded and built by French priest Wilbaux in 1863. This is considered the oldest Catholic building in Saigon and one of the largest Catholic priest training centres in Vietnam. Of which, the first seminary was built in 1863 - 1866 and the chapel was built in 1867 - 1871, two structures that are over 100 years old.

• Address: No. 06 Ton Duc Thang, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

2. Hindu Temple:

Located in District 1 and quite close to each other, the Indian temples below with impressive Hindu architecture are always attractive tourist destinations. Not only known for their unique design style, but this is also a sacred place for people to come to pray and worship. You must definitely visit the 3 famous temples below!

Hindu Goddess Temple - a famous Indian temple in Saigon

When mentioning Indian temples in Saigon, you definitely cannot miss the Hindu Goddess Temple. The temple was built by Indians in the early 20th century and has a unique architecture. The original name of this temple comes from the name of the goddess Mariamman - the incarnation of the God of Rain - the goddess symbolising fertile land and bountiful crops. Goddess Mariamman is an extremely beautiful young woman with a red face, red clothes, and many arms symbolising boundless power.

In addition, Hindus also believe that she has the ability to cure all diseases, helping people "get what they want", so the Indian Lady Temple in Saigon is famous for being a sacred ancient temple. This place attracts many tourists to worship and pray for children.

• Address: 45 Truong Dinh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Subramanian Swamy Temple

Subramanian Swamy Temple is the most unique and ancient Indian temple in Saigon. The temple is located in District 1, built in the 19th century and is a place to worship God Subramaniam Swamy. This is a powerful god and the son of Shiva - the supreme God in Hinduism according to the Shaiva sect - one of the 5 original forms of God.

Ong Subramaniam Swamy Temple is one of the Indian temples in Ho Chi Minh City that owns a large main hall. In the temple, there are also linga and yoni images protected by the Naga snake god, in addition to the gods Lakshmi and Vishnu.

• Address: 98 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Sri Thenday Yutthapani Temple

Sri Thenday Yutthapani is also one of the famous Indian temples not only in Saigon but also throughout Vietnam and attracts many tourists to visit and worship. The name of this Indian temple is named after the god of war in Indian culture - Thenday Yutthapani. Accordingly, this god is the one who controls the heavenly soldiers to fight against dark forces and demons.

In the southern region of India, the god of war is extremely worshipped by many people. For them, Thenday Yutthapani is the god who protects justice, fairness and brings a peaceful life. In particular, businessmen consider this god as the god of commerce, helping their business to be favourable and profitable.

• Address: 66 Ton That Thiep, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

3. Chinese Community Temples:

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Jade Emperor Pagoda, also known as Phuoc Hai Tu Pagoda, is a temple dedicated to the Jade Emperor. Built by Liu Ming, a Chinese, in the early 20th century, the temple has a strong Chinese architectural style. In 1984, it was renamed Phuoc Hai, but is still called Jade Emperor by locals.

The temple's architecture is typical of China and has gone through many historical events, creating an ancient beauty and a layer of time. The Jade Emperor Pagoda has a yin-yang tiled roof and retains its ancient features. The Jade Emperor Pagoda has many valuable works of art, including parallel sentences and horizontal lacquered boards. The temple has a large interior space and houses statues of Buddha and gods.

• Address: 73, Mai Thi Luu Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Go Pagoda (Phung Son Tu)

Go Pagoda (Phung Son Tu) is an ancient and quiet Chinese pagoda built in the typical architecture of Chinese temples and pagodas. Phung Son Pagoda has a simple and close beauty. The pagoda is small in size, located in the middle of a large plot of land. The space of the pagoda is airy and quiet, making visitors feel relaxed and peaceful.

The Buddha Hall of Go Pagoda is solemnly decorated, enshrining the statues of Buddha Sakyamuni, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. In addition, the pagoda also preserves many ancient statues made of precious wood, with high artistic value.

• Address: 338-340 Nguyen Cong Tru, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Quang Trieu Assembly Hall

Quang Trieu Assembly Hall, also known as Thien Hau Temple or Ba Cau Ong Lanh Pagoda, was originally a place of activity for Chinese people from Guangzhou and Zhaoqing, but has now become a common place for both Vietnamese and Chinese communities.

The relic is located on a relatively large campus, the overall ground plan is divided into 3 axes: the main axis in the middle and two secondary axes on both sides, forming a ground plan in the shape of the letter "khau" or the letter "quoc". The architecture of the assembly hall is built according to the "inner public, outer private" diagram with the front gate, the main hall, the central hall, the incense house, and the main hall. The building is also notable for its stone and wood sculptures and especially the massive amount of coloured glazed ceramic statues, made from Cay Mai pottery and products of Thach Loan - My Ngoc glazed pottery.

• Address: 156 Vo Van Kiet Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

4. Muslim mosque:

The architectural art - decoration of mosques in Ho Chi Minh City does not have too many parts, lines, it can also be said to be simple. The subtle combination of the "simplicity" of the two fields of architecture and decoration has created a beauty in the solid but elegant, soft appearance like "otherworldly" of a place considered the most sacred. The mosque is an architectural work that concentrates the talent and creativity of the Muslim residents in Ho Chi Minh City.

Jamia Al-Musulman Mosque

Built in 1935, Jamia Al-Musulman Mosque is where Muslims come to worship in Saigon. This is the most famous mosque in Saigon, with an area of ​​about 2,000 m2. The mosque was built by the Indian community with donations, serving the spiritual needs of Muslims from South India in Saigon. 

• Address: 66 Dong Du, District 1, HCMC.

Masjid Al Rahim Mosque

Recorded as the oldest in Saigon, Masjid Al Rahim Mosque was built by Malaysian believers in 1885 and was completely rebuilt in 2009.

• Address: 45 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1, HCMC.

Remember, District 1's religious sites in District 1 are not merely places of worship; they are living testaments to the city's spiritual heritage. These sacred spaces, each with its unique history, architectural beauty, and vibrant community, have served as beacons of faith and resilience for generations.