Tan Dinh Church and Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral are 2 architectures built very early and having big sizes in Saigon (former name of Ho Chi Minh City). Inaugurated in 1876, Tan Dinh Catholic Church (officially known as Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) is one of the Catholic churches contributing to making a special Saigon. Traveling to Saigon, you do not spend the time visiting the church, which is a regrettable thing. The most popular things to do at this beautiful church include admire the charming beauty of the pink church and taking the greatest photos.
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General information about Tan Dinh Church
Location: 289 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. CLICK HERE to see the location of the temple on Google Maps. Tan Dinh Church is only 3 km from Ben Thanh Market so visitors can reach it easily from central districts of the city.
Opening hours: In recent, they do not accept visitors to go inside the church. Only foreign and Vietnamese Catholics are accepted to go inside the church and join Holy Mass and other activities. Visitors can pass the side gate, go around the front yard, admire the beauty of the church and find the best places to take nice photos. The gate is closed from 12:00 to 14:00 daily. So that visitors can only take photos from outside during the break time.
Tel: +84 28 3829 0093
Website: http://www.giaoxutandinh.net
Official name: Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or Nhà thờ Thánh Tâm Chúa Giêsu Tân Định
Mass Schedule: Weekdays: 5:00; 6:15; 17:30; 19:00 | Sunday: 5:00; 6:15; 7:30; 9:00; 16:00; 17:30; 19:00. Please note that all mass are in Vietnamese. In special events, Mass Times will be updated on the website.
Reconciliation: Weekdays: After morning mass and before evening mass; Sunday: 17:00-19:00.
Eucharistic Adoration: Everyday – Anytime at Adoration Chapel;
Sunday – 15h00 at Main Church.
Infant baptism: 10h15 last Sundays each month.
Church office’s working schedule: From Tuesday to Saturday: 7h30-11h30; 14h30-18h30 | Sunday: 6h30-10h30; 16h30-20h30 | (Monday closed).
History
The history of Tan Dinh Church can be divided into the following periods: Establishment (1860 – 1874), Consolidation and Construction (1874 – 1926), Grow up (1926 – 1946), Development (1946 – 1974), Modern (from 1974 until now).
Before 1863, Catholics gather and go to mass in an old small chapel made of wood. In 1863, Priest Wibaux had a new church built. On 17th April 1864, the construction of the church was completed.
The church had been not large enough so that Priest Eveilard had a new church built in 1874. Priest Eveilard had asked everybody to donate their money and commanded the construction. He furnished the church with a Rodolphe accordion, costing VND 1,200, presented by Priest Son and Priest Loc. On 16th December 1876, Father Colombert attended the grand opening of the new church.
In 1896, Priest Ngon decided to enlarge the church. On 2nd February 1898, the upgrade was finished and inaugurated solemnly.
In 1929, the church is enlarged, added one bell tower with a height of 52.60m on Paul Blanchy Street (Hai Ba Trung Street in recent).
Main building of the church
Exterior Architecture
The church has a classical Roman architectural style that blend perfectly with Gothic and Baroque architectures in Europe. That special architecture style and the pink coat in Saigon sunshine make a splendid beauty.
Tan Dinh Church is made of Italian marble. Standing from the outside side to look at the church, tourists will see 1 bell tower and 2 extra towers. The bell tower has 4 floors. On the second floor, there is a very white big round clock with a pink border and golden Roman numbers. The bronze cross with the height of 3m on the top of the bell tower is a highlight of the church. On top of the towers are nice steeples and spires in pink and white colors.
Two sides of 2 extra towers are corridors having fish-scale tiled roofs. The white arched entrances and windows with nice patterns, onion dome tower with steeples in which there are angel statues.
The pink facade of Tan Dinh Church.
The round clock with Roman numbers on the facade of Tan Dinh Church.
3 m high bronze cross on the top of the bell tower, windows, a nice balcony and lovely spires of Tan Dinh Church.
The fish-scale tiled roof of Tan Dinh Church.
Arched entrances and crosses on the walls.
One of the elegant rose windows of Tan Dinh Church.
Arched windows decorated with beautiful floral and geometric patterns.
An onion dome structure with the steeple and the angel statue on its top.
Beautiful decoration items.
Interior design
Stepping into the church, tourists will see the space divided into 3 compartments by big round pillars and the ceiling has a dome shape. This place is for Christians kneeling to pray and sitting to listen to explain Catholic books. On the steps is Saint Palace where the statues of Jesus Christ and Saints are put. On the right wall are pedestals and statues of Goddesses in Christianity, on the left wall are pedestals and statues of Gods in Christianity.
Visitors feel like being in old European churches when they are inside the pink church thanks to the splendid interior, arches, pillars, glass windows, statues, lights and candles.
Inside Tan Dinh Church, colorful glass windows, delicately decorated white pillars made of Italian marble, black and white cement tile floor
Antiques
Going up the main tower, visitors will see 5 bells with a total weight of 5.5 tons carved very skillfully. The 6 ancient bells include:
- 2 ancient bells presented by Priest J.B. Nguyen Ba Tong;
- 1 ancient bell presented by Mr. Luan and Mrs. Huong;
- 1 ancient bell presented by Mr. Tai and Mr. Long;
- 1 ancient bell presented by Mrs. Tu Hiep;
- 1 ancient bell presented by Mr. Chuc and Mrs. Y.
In addition, on 6th January 1929, Mr. Francois Haasz and Mrs. Anna Tong Thi Muc presented Tan Dinh Church 3 marble altars which are the most precious altars in the church.
Yard
In the yard, there are a statue of standing Mother Mary, names of dead people on the wall and a statue of Jesus surrounded by green trees.
Statue of standing Mother Mary in the front yard of Tan Dinh Church.
The wall with names of dead people in the yard.
Statue of Jesus at Tan Dinh Church.
What is around Tan Dinh Church?
The old Tan Dinh Market with the unique architecture, Ao Dai fabrics, jewelry stores and delicious Vietnamese foods is only a few minutes walk from Tan Dinh Church. The two architectural works blend perfectly and form a great complex of market and church. There are lots of famous restaurants such as Banh Xeo Dinh Cong Trang (Vietnamese Pancake Restaurant) at 46A Dinh Cong Trang Street, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The restaurant is only 120 m from the church. Le Van Tam Park – one of the biggest parks in Ho Chi Minh City is only 240 m from Tan Dinh Church.
Some nice photos of Tan Dinh Church
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