Notre Dame Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in Taiohae, French Polynesia.

Notre Dame Cathedral is entered through the two square bell towers and part of the wall kept from the 19th-century church, now forming a fortified gateway with a central pointed arch. The dark grey stone towers carry tall reddish-brown octagonal spires, and two palm trees stand in front of them. The church walls are wood and stone, the stones given by each of the six inhabited Marquesas islands.

The cathedral was built in 1973 and marked a major expansion of Catholic presence in the Marquesas Islands. It became the seat of the Taiohae diocese, serving as a key religious center for the entire region.

Inside, the pulpit carries the symbols of the Four Evangelists, and the floor behind it is laid with flower stones from Ua Pou. The Stations of the Cross were carved from whole tamanu trees by Damien Haturau; the first station sets Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Breadfruit rather than the Mount of Olives.

The building is easily reached through Taiohae's main port, where boats dock regularly and visitors can step ashore. Regular services occur during the week, so it's worth checking times in advance if you plan to attend.

The two bell towers and a section of wall at the entrance are the only remains of the 19th-century church that stood here before the 1973 rebuild. The stones in the cathedral walls were donated by each of the six inhabited Marquesas islands.