The Notre Dame Cathedral, which is situated in the heart of HCMC, will begin to be renovated in the fourth quarter this year, marking the first such overhaul since it was opened in 1880.

Although it looks imposing from outside, the interior of the Cathedral has deteriorated over the years. According to the HCMC Archdiocese, it may take years to finish restoration work as materials will be imported from France.

During the time the project is carried out, the entire Cathedral will be covered.

Speaking of the Notre Dame Cathedral, people will think of it as a rendezvous for people from all walks of life. The cathedral is of course an important worshiping place for Catholics but also an architectural icon and a tourist destination in HCMC.

It is also the place for couples to come to capture important moments of their lives, young and old people to gather for various activities, and others to earn a living. The news about the forthcoming restoration of the Notre Dame has caused different reactions among citizens.

On the morning of last Wednesday, around six couples were seen around the church to take wedding photos. A groom named Nguyen Minh Tan from District 8 said: “Both foreign tourists and people from neighboring provinces would like to visit and take photos at the Notre Dame as it is an architectural icon of the city. My wife and I want our wedding photos to be taken here thanks to the impressive and ancient features of the cathedral. There are not many ancient buildings in this city.”
“More than half of the couples who hired me to take wedding photos had chosen the Notre Dame Cathedral,” said Cao Van Long, a photographer in District 10, adding that the old look of the cathedral with red bricks and stones provides a beautiful background for photos.

“I hope that all unique features of the cathedral will be kept the same after it is renovated. I think it will still be a place for wedding photos,” he said.

Thanh, a woman who sells coffee, soft drinks and feed for pigeons at the cathedral, said she has been around here for the past 20 years. “I hope after it is restored, the cathedral will be more beautiful and not lose its unique features.”

Most of her customers are tourists. She said the building will be covered for restoration in the coming time, so the number of guests coming would fall.

A xe om (motorbike taxi) driver named Tam said he has been familiar with the image of visitors, locals and couples gathering around the Notre Dame Cathedral, so it would be sad when the building is closed for renovation.

A photographer named Huynh Xe said when the cathedral is shut for restoration, he will quit working because no one would come to visit the place for photography. Hopefully, when it is reopened and people would come again and he would return to work.

Nguyen Van Thuyen, a city tour guide, said the Notre Dame Cathedral is an indispensable destination in the tour of Saigon for foreigners. However, he thinks the temporary shutdown for renovation of such a building will get support from tourists.

Source: SGT