Da Nang Cathedral: Vietnam's Pink Church

2019-04-29 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Right around the time I was getting a bit sleepy after a very satisfying lunch, I went to see Da Nang Cathedral. As a Catholic whose religious life is so spotty I can't even remember the last time I went to church, I felt a bit embarrassed. Still, it's a local landmark, so I stopped by out of a tiny, lingering shred of conscience.

Just like the Pink Mosque I saw in Kota Kinabalu, the exterior walls of Da Nang Cathedral are pink. I'm not sure if there's a specific reason for it, but seeing it in person, it was fascinating how similar the color was to the Pink Mosque. The clear sky suddenly turned dark and it started to rain, and the wet building seemed to make the color pop even more. Considering the surrounding countries are mostly Buddhist and Vietnam's main political force is the Communist Party, which traditionally rejects religion, it's amazing that the cathedral has survived without being destroyed. Of course, as a tourist, figuring out how to take pretty pictures was much more important to me than all that.

People walking in the plaza and a cathedral with a striking pink exterior and high spire under a cloudy sky

A bottom-up view of the pink cathedral's facade, featuring delicate decorations like a rose window and arched windows

A white marble statue beneath the cross of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus after his descent from the cross — There is also a Pieta statue of the Virgin Mary.

An outdoor wall with two arched paintings depicting the crucifixion and burial of Jesus — In Europe, murals depicting the birth, suffering, and resurrection of Jesus are usually inside, but at Da Nang Cathedral, they are outside.

A person in a raincoat walking in the rainy cathedral courtyard, with the pink cathedral visible beyond the trees

A statue of the Virgin Mary standing with the words Ave Maria inside a vine-covered rock cave — Neon-lit stone statues, something I've only seen in Southeast Asia and Russia. I've seen Buddha surrounded by flashy neon lights, but this is my first time seeing Mary lit up in neon.

An altar and numerous plaques filling the walls inside a rock cave inscribed with the words Ave Maria — There is something similar to the Massabielle Grotto, the site of the Marian apparition. It seems places honoring Mary, like the Seongmodang shrine in Daegu, are decorated similarly.

The interior chapel of Da Nang Cathedral featuring an arched ceiling, pillars, and chandeliers

Da Nang Cathedral with its pink exterior walls under a cloudy sky

Unlike cathedrals in Europe, you can't freely enter the interior, though they seem to allow people to pop in briefly to pray. It might be because they are cautious in a region where Catholicism isn't the dominant religion, or it could be to protect the worshippers from the chaotic and noisy tourists coming in and out. Whatever the reason, it seems better to just take a quick look from the outside rather than barging inside.

Unlike Europe where there's a church around every corner, this is a special cathedral that serves as a local landmark despite not representing the primary religion. Listening closely, the prayers sounded similar even though they were in Vietnamese, and the way people gathered in small groups to worship and then quickly dispersed was similar to churches back in Korea. Sigh... come to think of it, I really need to go to church.