On the morning of March 19, two gold-plated crosses were successfully installed on top of the iron tower of Notre Dame Cathedral. This is an important milestone in the restoration phase of the bell tower and iron tower of a 140-year-old architectural work in the center of Ho Chi Minh City.
The two crosses are 3.73 m high, 1.85 m wide and weigh about 400 kg each. Bringing the two crosses to a height of 60.5 m is a complex construction step. The construction team had to carefully calculate wind force and cable anchor points to ensure absolute safety for the tower structure, and at the same time operate rhythmically to avoid scratching the gold-plated surface of the cross.
According to the history of the work, the old pair of crosses was installed on the top of the tower from 1894. After more than a century, on March 6, 2023, these two artifacts were forced to be dismantled due to rust and severe damage that could not be restored. To preserve the original architectural design, the two new crosses were restored to their original state by the Monument Group in Ingelmunster (Belgium). The special feature of this item is the super-thin gold leaf layer applied to the surface, provided by Giusto Manetti company (Italy).
After completing crafting in Belgium, the two crosses were transported by sea for 5 months and arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on October 18, 2025. After being brought back to the country and before official installation, the pair of crosses was preserved and displayed at the church for a large number of people and tourists to visit.
Mr. Robin Deketelaere, a foreign expert at the project, said that crosses in Europe usually have a lifespan of 50 years. However, the pair of crosses crafted for Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon can reach a minimum lifespan of 100 years. Mr. Deketelaere said that this is a very special occasion for him and his team when completing the installation of the sacred symbol of Catholics.
At the ceremony, Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Resident Representative of the Vatican City in Vietnam, said that the return of the two crosses to the top of the tower not only marks a stage of completing the construction work, but also a symbol of hope raised high in the heart of the city. At the same time, he also shared a humane perspective that a real work is not only built from bricks and stones, but also created from the cohesion and love of the human community.
Notre Dame Cathedral was started construction in 1877 according to the design of architect J. Bourard. After more than 140 years of use, the project has seen many degraded items, so it has been undergoing major renovation since 2017. The fact that the 2 zinc tower peaks at Notre Dame Cathedral have the bright yellow cross symbol again this morning has attracted the attention of many people.
A resident present in the square area in front of the City Post Office shared his excitement when the familiar appearance of the central architecture is gradually returning after many years of being surrounded by scaffolding for restoration. This event marks a positive step forward in the overall restoration project, aimed at ensuring originality and long-term safety for one of the symbolic works of Ho Chi Minh City.
