Notre Dame Cathedral, Papeete (must see)

Early in the 19th century, France enlarged its colonial presence in the Pacific. Tahiti was declared a protectorate of France in 1842. French missionaries began arriving almost immediately. Construction soon began on the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Papeete on Général de Gaulle Street.

The Cathedral opened in 1875. It is the oldest Catholic church in Tahiti and one of the last standing structures of early colonialism. It was named after its illustrious antecedent, the Notre Dame of Paris. It sits on the waterfront, facing distant Mount Aorai.

The facade of the Cathedral is painted yellow and has two pilasters, one at each end of the front. There are three pointed arch-stained glass windows. The center window is the largest, directly above the recessed arched entrance portal. Above the center window is a clock. The hexagonal bell tower is topped with a pointed red spire.

The interior of the Cathedral holds both European and Polynesian design elements. An example is the full-size carved Madonna and Child. The Child brandishes breadfruit. The Cathedral is also known for its artistic representations of the Stations of the Cross. The stations incorporate both Tahitian and Roman cultures in the style of dress. The artistic style of the paintings was influenced by Paul Gauguin.