The Tan Dinh Church in Ho Chi Minh City is ranked fourth in a global list of 8 prettiest pink destinations that can "fulfill every Barbie lover's fantasy."

The listing is carried by an article in the Hindustan Times, a prominent Indian English daily.

"Tan Dinh Church, located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a stunning architectural marvel and an iconic pink landmark," the article says.

The Tan Dinh Pink Church in Ho Chi Minh City was built in 1876 and is 60 meters high. Photo: Local Vietnam

It notes that Tan Dinh is "the oldest Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City...founded in 1864. The pink exterior paint job was applied in 1957. The interior, which is painted an even more bright pink, is the real surprise. For those who adore pink, it will be an amazing joy since it is like standing inside a wedding cake.”

The article calls the church a “captivating pink landmark.”

The other destinations mentioned in the list in order are Lake Hillier in Australia; Jaipur (known as the Pink City) in India; Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas; Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan; The Laguna Salada de Torrevieja in Spain; Craigievar Castle in Scotland; and Las Coloradas in Mexico.

The pink church is the latest of international praise that the city has garnered this year. In particular, Ho Chi Minh City was ranked second in the list of Asia's 10 best cities for street food lovers by the leading Australian travel site Traveller.

"A misconception about Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon's street vendors is that they come from a place of poverty and depend on selling food out of mobile carts for sustenance. On the contrary, street food is a way of life in Vietnam," it wrote.

History of Tan Dinh Pink Church

The Tan Dinh Pink Church in Ho Chi Minh City was built in 1876 and is 60 meters high. This makes it the second largest church in Ho Chi Minh City, after Notre Dame Cathedral. The color and location make this one of the most unique churches in Vietnam.

The history of Tan Dinh Church dates back to 1874 when a Catholic mission was established here under Father Donatien Eveillard (1835-1883). Photo: Local Vietnam

The history of Tan Dinh Church dates back to 1874 when a Catholic mission was established here under Father Donatien Eveillard (1835-1883). It was Eveillard who oversaw the construction of the first church, which cost 15,000 piastres (38,000 francs) and was built in December 1876. In 1877, he invited the sisters of Saint-Paul de Chartres to establish an orphanage and boarding school next to the church, which housed more than 300 young people in three years. Subsequently, a publishing house was added to the cathedral grounds, where underprivileged children were trained for the publishing house. To honor his contributions to the local community, he was buried in Tan Dinh Church after he died in 1883.

The Pink Church highlights

Although the cathedral underwent many periods of restoration and repair, its architecture and construction remain in its origins. From the front, you can see in the middle a high tower with an octagonal roof and a 3-meter-high bronze cross on top. In addition, five large bells in the tower weigh 5.5 tons. Other features include 2 other small towers and fine structures in front of the cathedral.

The inside of Tan Dinh Church. Photo: Local Vietnam

Next to the church is a small garden with a large Jezus statue opening his arms to welcome people. There are also other statues in the garden telling stories of the bible events. If you continue walking through the end of the garden you will see the gate to the clinic of the church.

Like the outside, the church also has pink features on the inside. The large pink pillars in the center of the church are one of the highlights of the Pink Church’s architecture. The path along the rows of benches leads to the main altar. To the left are statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary and to the right of St. Theresa, all from 1890. Close to the entrance of Tan Dinh Church are two chapels, most of them built in Italy and donated during a renovation in 1929.

Google Doodle Honors World Natural Heritage Of Ha Long Bay The Vietnamese homepage of tech giant Google on December 17 featured a doodle of Ha Long Bay to mark the 29th anniversary of the United ...

The Must-Try Traditional Foods In Sapa Sapa is not only famous for its enchanting nature but is also for the delicious traditional dishes that will satisfy food lovers.

Michelin Recommends Five Must-Try Vietnamese Dishes Michelin Guide has revealed five local dishes that visitors cannot leave Vietnam without trying.