About this Place Of Interest

Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a beautiful 19th century place of worship located in Paris Square, Ho Chi Minh City. The cathedral, officially known as Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception, was designed by French architect Jules Bourard after Saigon fell into the hands of the French army in 1856 [1]. The cathedral is one of the few remaining strongholds of Catholicism in Vietnam, where Buddhism is the predominant religion [2]. The construction of the cathedral, which began in 1863, is based on Romanesque and Gothic architecture and all building materials were shipped in from France. This includes the red bricks of the exterior walls, which were from Marseille [3]. The cathedral, which took about 17 years to complete, is 91 metres long, 35.5 metres wide and 21 metres tall. It was named Notre-Dame Cathedral on February 16, 1959 by Bishop Pham Van Thien after he installed a 4.6 metres statue of Peaceful Notre Dame, the French title for Virgin Mary during a blessing ceremony [4]. The statue is 4.6 metres in height and is located in the park that is in front of the cathedral. However, the name was later changed to Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

About this Learning Experience

In this Learning Experience, you will learn that the composition and properties of rocks determine how they are used in architecture and interior design. This Learning Experience is suitable for learners Year 1 to Year 3. Note: The reflection phase will take place under Point B.

Syllabus Content

• Physical geography relation to: rocks.

Resources Needed

Earphones