Built by the French from 1877 to 1883, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon has a similar name to its Parisian counterpart, as well as design features.

Sporting Neo-Romanesque architecture, a typical style of the time period, the church’s box front frame has two tall bell towers on either side of the entrance, and all of the red bricks used to build the cathedral were imported directly from France.

Not only is the building a feast on the eyes, but there’s an immaculate garden that is home to the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Sculpted by an Italian artist, G. Ciocchetti in 1959, the 4.6-meter high statue is made completely from white marble.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon is considered the mother church of the Catholic Archdiocese in Ho Chi Minh City.