Da Nang Cathedral is a famous sight in Da Nang, and one of architectural heritages left by French people in the colonial period. This Catholic parish church was built right in the city downtown, on the left bank of the Han River. Besides mass times, visitors come here to take pictures because of its grandeur and its special pastel-pink painting. Now let’s HoiAn Day Trip Company provide all information Da Nang Cathedral (aka Da Nang Pink Church).
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• Content by Tam Le, founder of HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD
• Designed by Giang Cong Minh, co-founder of LS E&C LTD and his team
• Photo by Dang Cong Loi, Dao Xuan Son, Tam Le & others
Must Knows about Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
– Location: 156 Tran Phu Street, Hai Chau ward, Hai Chau district, Da Nang, Vietnam
– Vietnamese name: Nha Tho Chinh Toa Da Nang, Nha Tho Con Ga
– Other name(s): Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral (official name), Da Nang Rooster Church (by Vietnamese locals), Da Nang Parish Church, Tourane Church (French time)
– Opening hours: 8 to 11:30 am and 1:30 to 4:30 pm from Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday
– Ticket price: free
– Reason(s) to visit: the parish church of Da Nang, a famous instagrammable spot
– Time to spend: 20-30 mins
– Best time to visit: morning
– Tour guide: contact +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo)
– Travel blog: https://hoiandaytrip.com/da-nang-cathedral-pink-church
– Food & drink: no
– Shopping: no
– Fact:
Da Nang Cathedral on Map
History & Architecture of Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
On 1st October 1888, in the reign of Dong Khanh king, Da Nang (and other Vietnamese port cities) was officially under the protectorate of French people. In the next year 1889, it’s renamed ‘Tourane’ which might originate from misspelling of Cua Han (meaning ‘han river estuary’).
Meanwhile, French colonists constructed administrative buildings and living quarters on the west bank of the Han River (present-day Hai Chau district). One of them was ‘Da Nang Cathedral’. Until today, this church is still the only French-built Catholic church in the city. Not far away from here, it’s possible to see the former Da Nang city hall by the river (now becoming Museum of Da Nang) or Cham Sculpture Museum.
Da Nang Cathedral was built from February 1923 to September 1924, on a piece of land on the Rue de Musee (‘museum road’, today Tran Phu road). On 14th September 1924, it’s inaugurated, with the presence of the bishop of Quy Nhon diocese and the bishop of Hue diocese. The title is the ‘Sacred Heart of Jesus Church’. Its design and construction works were under the leadership of Louis Vallet (1869-1945), a French priest in the Foreign Missions of Paris. He was also known for construction of ‘Nha Trang Cathedral’ (parish church of a major southern Vietnam city). After death, he was buried there.
About the architecture, Da Nang Cathedral features a magnificent Gothic style. Its façade has many rose windows and a 80-meters-tall tower in the middle. Its interior is decorated by an impressive altar, and sophisticated stained-glass paintings. This is one of the most beautiful churches in the area. Due to pastel-pink painting, Da Nang Cathedral earns the nickname ‘Pink church’ (this name is popular in social media). In Vietnam, Tan Dinh Church of Ho Chi Minh city is also known as ‘Pink church’. It has been pink since 1957, and its title is ‘Sacred Heart of Jesus’ that is the same as the one in Da Nang. Both churches attract many tourists today.
On the top of the Da Nang Cathedral, there is a rotatable metal rooster. It’s used to determine wind directions (or for weather forecast), and is a national symbol of France. For that reason, Vietnamese people called this cathedral ‘rooster church’. The ‘rooster church’ is also referring to Da Lat Cathedral built from 1931 to 1942 in Da Lat, a famous tourist city in southern Vietnam highlands.
Nowadays, Da Nang Cathedral is the parish church for Da Nang diocese. This diocese includes most districts of Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, and more than 72,400 parishioners (about 2,5% population of the whole area). It’s established on 18th January 1963, later than inauguration of the cathedral a bit, separated from the Quy Nhon diocese. The first bishop appointed was Pham Ngoc Chi (1909-1988), and he held the position until Vietnam’s unification in 1975. His tomb was in the Tra Kieu Church in Duy Xuyen district. Current bishop was assumed on 12nd April 2016.
Close to the main building of Da Nang Cathedral, there is a rock cave inaugurated on 11st February 1940. It’s a simulation of the one at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, southwestern France. Not far away, there is the Bishop’s House.
Other churches built by French in Vietnam:
– Hanoi St Joseph Cathedral
– Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
– Ho Chi Minh Pink Cathedral
– Nha Trang Cathedral (‘stone church’, ‘mountain church’)
– Da Lat St Nicholas Cathedral (‘roaster church’)
– Tac Say Catholic Church (Bac Lieu)
– Cua Bac Parish Church (Hanoi)
– So Kien Basilica (Ha Nam)
Da Nang Cathedral Mass Times
On Sunday, the mass occurs at 5:30 am, 8 am, 10 am, 3 pm, 4:30 pm, and 6 pm. English mass is at 10 am. On Saturday, another mass happens at 5:15 pm.
On weekdays, there is a mass at 5 am, and another at 5:15 pm.
Once again, during mass times, visitors can not visit Da Nang Cathedral. If you are a catholic, you can go in and pray. So, other visitors should see this place from Monday to Saturday.
Tips to Visit Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
– Da Nang Cathedral isn’t open for visitors, except at mass times. Therefore, visitors are only able to walk around and take pictures with its façade.
– Da Nang Cathedral is a holy place, so visitors need to wear it respectively when visiting. In other words, it’s needed to wear clothes which cover the armpits, novel, breast, and upper knees.
– During mass times, visitors are not allowed to sightsee and take pictures (please see the mass time reschedule above). Those who are catholics, can go in and pray.
– Visitors will visit from the gate on Yen Bai street, instead of the main entrance of Da Nang Cathedral on Tran Phu street. This way opens when masses occur only.
– In the dry season, from February to the end of August, visitors should bring sun cream, sun glasses, hat/cap/umbrella, and bottles of water.
– In the rainy season, from September to January, visitors should bring rain poncho/jacket, umbrella, sandals or waterproof shoes.
– It’s better to visit Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church) with a local guide. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp) to book.
How to Get to Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church) is at 156 Tran Phu St, Hai Chau 1 ward, Hau Chau district. Thanks to this city’s downtown location, it’s easy and convenient to get there.
The distance to the Da Nang Cathedral from anywhere in Da Nang city centre is 4 km maximum, so visitors need less than 20 mins to get there. It’s longer if going from the hotels in Non Nuoc beach area, Son Tra peninsula, Mikazuki resort or Ba Na Hills. From remote places, a private car is the best choice. If ride the motorbike by yourself, you just need to go across the Han River and follow Bach Dang street or Tran Phu street to see the church.
From Hoi An, 30km south of Da Nang, visitors can take a car/taxi/van/bus or ride a motorbike. If traveling by car/taxi, it takes passengers about 1 hour to get to Da Nang Cathedral. A roundtrip transfer costs from 700,000 VND (extra fee for extra attractions). We suggest visiting other attractions in Da Nang city, besides the pink church. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) to book private transfers by car in Hoi An and Da Nang.
If ride the motorbike, visitors should go along the coastal road to Da Nang and then go to Da Nang Cathedral. Firstly, from anywhere in Hoi An, it’s needed to reach the crossroad at An Bang Beach (Lac Long Quan-Hai Ba Trung crossroad). After that, follow Lac Long Quan street until seeing the roundabout at My Khe Beach (Vo Nguyen Giap-Vo Van Kiet crossroad). Follow Vo Van Kiet street, ride cross the Dragon Bridge, turn right to enter Bach Dang street, turn left to enter Tran Quoc Toan street, and turn right to Yen Bai street. The gate of Da Nang Cathedral is here. Parking fee is about 5,000-10,000 VND/bike/time.
HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours and transfers to Da Nang and Hoi An. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!
Places to Visit near Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
Near the Da Nang Cathedral, visitors can go to these places: Han River (distance: 50m), Han Market (distance: 300m), the Dragon Bridge (distance: 950m), Son Tra Night Market (distance: 1,8km), Han River Bridge (distance: 650km), Museum of Cham Sculpture (distance: 1km), APEC Park (distance: 1km), Bach Dang Walking Street (distance: 1km), Da Nang Fresco Village (distance: 1,1km), Phap Lam Pagoda (distance: 1,5km), Con Market (distance: 1,3km), Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts (distance: 1,2km), Da Nang Museum of History and Culture (distance: 1,2km), Dien Hai Citadel (distance: 1,3km), the Love Lock Bridge (distance: 2km), Statue of Carp Dragon (distance: 2km).
Photos, Videos about Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church)
Here are beautiful photos and videos about Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church) in Da Nang Vietnam:
