Peter Steinhauer: Spires

Stunning photographs of Vietnamese cathedrals that eloquently fuse French Gothic and Romanesque styles with Eastern architectural traditions

American photographer Peter Steinhauer (born 1966), a resident of Asia from 1994 to 2014, here vividly documents the majestic cathedrals of northern Vietnam’s Red River Delta. Using local materials such as stone, ironwood and brick, these churches were constructed to withstand the tropical Vietnamese climate and environment, symbolizing the merging of cultures and the growing influence of Catholicism in the region. Over time, the cathedrals transcended their colonial roots, organically embedding themselves in Vietnam’s political, cultural and religious landscape. This volume unfolds a dramatic narrative of these historic edifices. Steinhauer documents many significant examples of these cathedrals, which display the fusion of French and Vietnamese architectural virtuosity in every stone, arch and spire. These architectural marvels now face neglect, deterioration or intentional dismantlement. Spires seeks to commemorate these remarkable structures—and the complex narratives rooted in their time-tested foundations.