St Joseph's Cathedral

St Joseph's was consecrated at Christmas 1886, built under the French administration to a design that borrows from Notre-Dame in Paris - twin square towers, a rose window, ribbed vaults inside - executed in local materials and now weathered to a grey-black that gives the front its character. It stands on ground where the Bao Thien pagoda, an eleventh century foundation, had stood; the pagoda was demolished to clear the site, which is part of the building's history and is not always mentioned. It remains the cathedral of the Hanoi archdiocese and is fully in use, with services filling it at Christmas.

What you actually see

• A neo-gothic front of 1886 - borrowing from Notre-Dame in Paris.
• Weathered grey-black stone - the surface the building is known for.
• Built on a pagoda site - the eleventh century Bao Thien demolished for it.
• A working cathedral - full at Christmas.

When to go

Year round; Christmas fills the square outside. An hour.

Honest expectations

The main doors are often closed outside services and entry is by a side door. It is a place of worship first. The square outside is a busy cafe and scooter area. Interiors are dim.

Nearby

Hoan Kiem lake is east; the old quarter is north.