The St Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi was opened in 1886, a year after the French colonial officially occupied the country of Vietnam. The cathedral still holds mass twice daily and is probably the most famous church in Hanoi.
Places of worship
Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi, Vietnam
Ngoc Son Temple (Đền Ngọc Sơn), or Temple of the Jade Mound, is located on a small islet at Hoan Kiem Lake in the City of Hanoi. The temple was founded in the 14th century but most of its current structures were built in the 18th century.
Ngoc Son Temple was built to commemorate a few Chinese and Vietnamese legends, including famous Vietnamese General Trần Hưng Đạo who twice led the Vietnamese troops to fence off the mighty Yuan invaders in the 13th century.
Sharing a few photos of the temple below, taken during my Hanoi trip in July 2008. It’s a small temple, but pretty nostalgic with a serene environment…
Ngoc Son Temple as viewed from across the Hoan Kiem Lake
Nan Tian Temple, Suao, Taiwan
Nan Tian Temple (Nantiangong) in Suao is one of the most famous temples in Taiwan with its 200kg pure gold Mazu figurine as well as another Mazu figurine carved from a piece of huge jade.
The rooftop of Nan Tian Temple and the small port opposite the temple
Wong Tai Sin Temple, Hong Kong
Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠), a famous taoist temple in Hong Kong, was the first tourist spot we visited during our trip. The place of worship is often mentioned on various Hong Kong tourism guide.
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
After a short break at the hotel, we hopped on to our bus again and headed for our first destination in Paris… the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris.
Stonehenge, England, UK
Stonehenge is one of the most mystified sites in England, famous around the world too. I’ve always wanted to visit Stonehenge ever since I learnt about the place on TV when I was around five; childhood dream came true in Oct 2005…
