The cathedral is supposed to represent the glory of the French Empire. Yet, as is always the case with colonisation, this attempt to import French traditions into Viet Nam transformed the colonisers’ culture. Even though the cathedral is built in a Western architectural style, it has a uniquely Eastern aspect. Five years later, the Duc Ba (Our Lady’s) Cathedral was inaugurated, and became the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient.
For a long time it was the highest structure in the city centre, and was the first thing an arriving traveller would see when approaching the city by boat. The cathedral bells weigh a combined 28,850kg.On the square in front of the cathedral, there is a statue of the Virgin Mother made of white marble, symbolising peace. The cathedral is seen as a unique synthesis, adding an unmistakable Oriental flavour to an ancient Occidental recipe