Cao Dai Holy See Temple

The Cao Dai Holy See stands in Long Hoa Ward in Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam, about 100 km northwest of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. It is the headquarters and principal temple of Caodaism, a religion founded in 1926 in southern Vietnam that combines elements of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity, and venerates figures such as Victor Hugo and Sun Yat-sen alongside Buddha and Jesus. The temple was built between 1933 and 1955 and is among the most eclectic religious buildings in Asia. Its facade has two tall towers, pastel colours and sculpted dragons coiling around columns, and above the entrance the symbol of the divine eye appears. Inside, the long nave is divided by a series of pillars and a floor that rises toward the altar in tiers, representing stages of spiritual progress. The ceiling is painted as a blue sky with stars, and a large globe painted with the divine eye stands near the altar. The religion also developed its own administration, a hierarchy of clergy dressed in white, yellow, blue and red robes, and for a period in the mid-20th century a private army. The Holy See is a living place of worship rather than a museum, so the curatorial approach is to allow visitors to watch the ceremony from a balcony gallery while staying out of the main floor. Four services are held daily, and the midday ceremony at about 12:00 is the most visited. The complex has been maintained by the community and the building remains in good condition. The surrounding grounds contain administrative buildings, a hospital and a few smaller structures, and the site is usually included in day trips combined with the Cu Chi Tunnels.