Domaine de Marie

Located atop a hill on Ngo Quyen Street, Domaine de Marie Church is a Catholic convent in Da Lat. It is locally called Mai Anh Church or Cherry Church after the soft pink color of the building’s limestone facade. The main highlight here is the confluence of the cultures in the church’s architecture.

The main structure is a triangle with several stained glass windows that help illuminate the interiors. At the center of the facade is a grand window in the shape of a rose, which is a significant detail reminiscent of 17th-century French architecture. The stilted roof of the church is designed in the Vietnamese style from the Central Highlands called Nha Rong. Built between 1930 and 1943, the cathedral flaunts a harmonious mix of French and Vietnamese styles. There is a 3m white statue of the Holy Mary at the altar just beneath the Cross. It was gifted by Suzanne Humbert, wife of French Indochina’s Governor-General Jean Decoux. She was a church patron and was later buried here as per her will. Lady Decoux’s mausoleum is behind the church lobby amid blooms of Hai Tien flowers.