Cao Dai Holy See Temple

The Cao Dai Holy See Temple is the mother church of Caodaism and stands in Long Hoa Ward, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam, about 100 km northwest of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Caodaism was founded in southern Vietnam in the 1920s and draws on Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam, with the Divine Eye as its central symbol. The temple, completed in the 1930s, is a colourful building that mixes Gothic towers with Asian rooflines, painted dragons and pastel pink, yellow and blue decoration. Inside, the nave is lined with columns wound with dragons, a blue dome painted with stars and clouds covers the sanctuary, and a large globe with an eye stands before the altar. Services are held four times daily, at about 6:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00, and visitors may watch the noon service from the upper gallery while dressed in white-robed worshippers move in procession and musicians play. Visitors should dress modestly in long trousers or skirts and covered shoulders, remove shoes, and stay quiet and still in the gallery. Photography from the gallery is generally permitted, but taking pictures of the altar area from the floor or using flash may not be. The temple is rarely visited on its own and most visitors arrive on a combined day tour with the Cu Chi Tunnels, which leaves District 1 in the early morning to reach Tay Ninh before the noon ceremony. Without a tour, buses from Ho Chi Minh City take about 2.5 to 3 hours. The visit itself takes around one to two hours including the service, and the grounds are open throughout the day.