French colonial architecture still marks Gieng Islet

Lying peacefully in the Tien River and surrounded by an immense expanse of water and green orchards, Gieng Islet in Cho Moi District, An Giang Province attracts tourists from around the country who come to admire the stunning natural beauty and colonial architecture to be found here.
Cu Lao Gieng Church in Tan My Commune, Cho Moi District was built in 1875 under the reign of King Tu Duc by a French Catholic priest named Gafignol and was inaugurated in 1887.
With colonial architecture and French materials, the over 100 year old cathedral still remains what it was, despite the ups and downs of its life and history. The church boasts a majestic European design and solemn decorations including a towering bell-tower, large round pillars, vaults and small polygonal towers.
The imposing architecture and sacred atmosphere of the church evokes visitors with a feeling that they seem to be tiny creatures.
Other structures in the district worth visiting are the wooden houses built in the early twentieth century in traditional Vietnamese design and shaded by bonsai trees, a local custom.
Old pagodas such as Ong Dao, Phuoc Thanh and Phuoc Minh are fine examples of Asian décor and are also must-see works which allow visitors to indulge in sacred stillness and peace.