Phat Diem stone church is one of Vietnam’s oldest churches, dating back more than a century. Because of its unique combination of East-West architecture, experts consider this work to be the country’s most beautiful Catholic church complex. Let’s find out about Phat Diem stone church below!
Phat Diem Stone Church Overview
If you have the opportunity to visit Ninh Binh – a land that attracts millions of believers from home and abroad every year with famous landmarks on the S-shaped tourist map such as Van Long Lagoon, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Dance Cave, Thung Nham Bird Park…, do not miss Phat Diem stone church.
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Phat Diem stone church is considered to have the most “strange” design with the quintessential interference between Buddhism and Catholicism. Furthermore, few people are aware that this beautiful work took nearly 30 years to complete, with materials primarily consisting of stone and limestone wood.
Probably thanks to these “big” advantages, today, Phat Diem stone church is also known as the “Catholic capital” of Vietnam and has become a beautiful “virtual living mecca” in Ninh Binh. Phat Diem stone church, also known as Phat Diem Cathedral, is located 28 kilometers south of Ninh Binh City on Kim Son district land, with an area of 22ha, 117m wide, and 243m long.
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Instructions on how to move to Phat Diem Stone Church
Only about 120km from Hanoi’s capital, it takes about 2 hours to travel, so visitors can easily reach Phat Diem Stone church by many means, such as renting motorbikes and taxis…
– Transportation by motorbike: If you choose by motorbike, when you come to Ninh Binh town, turn to 10th Street. After that, you travel another 28 kilometers to Phat Diem town. On the left of 10th Street, visitors will see the ancient Tile Bridge, then run nearly 200m more, turn right, and continue to move about 250m more, and you will reach Phat Diem stone church. To avoid getting lost, you should bring the “treasure” of Google Maps or ask the locals on the way.
– Travelling by taxi: Taxis are ideal if traveling with a group of close friends or a family of 4-5 people. Call a reputable taxi company, then recite the “mantra” of Phat Diem Ninh Binh Church; the financier will drive you straight to your destination.
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When is the right time to go to Phat Diem stone church?
Phat Diem Stone Church can be visited at any time of year. However, according to the leg group that has checked in here many times, this Catholic work will become beautiful and shimmering, especially on Christmas. Because this is the occasion of community cultural activities of parishioners, many activities and events take place; the church will be decorated with many bright lights. All create a happy, jubilant atmosphere.
History of Phat Diem stone church
Not only possessing unique architecture, but the Phat Diem stone church also has great historical value because it has existed for more than 100 years. Let’s go a little back in time to learn about the history of this Catholic building!
Referring to the Phat Diem stone church, it is impossible to ignore an important figure associated with this work: Father Peter Tran Luc (also known as Mr. Sau, 1825-1899), the architect of Catholic architecture.
Starting in 1862, Father Tran Luc studied and surveyed the terrain and the entire land of Ninh Binh. He then chose this place as the place where Catholic works were built. In 1865, he began to search for materials for the project, and it was not until 1875 that construction officially began. It wasn’t until 1898 that it was completed.
Perhaps you do not know, but to build this cathedral, the workers had to spend a lot of effort, then experienced countless difficulties when having to transport by road and water thousands of tons of stone, with slabs weighing up to 20 tons, hundreds of limestone poles, including 12m long, 2.4m in diameter, weighing 7 tons, from Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and many other places, hundreds of kilometers away from here.
Phat Diem stone church is imbued with oriental architecture
The Phat Diem stone church complex is built in the model of “Vuong” with open and closed spaces, with many different items arranged reasonably, creating an ancient scene that clearly bears the traditional look of Vietnamese architecture.
Phuong Dinh – Phat Diem stone church
Phuong Dinh is one of the places evaluated as an architectural masterpiece in the Phat Diem stone church complex. Right from the moment you enter the courtyard, you will not be surprised by the large communal house, with a width of 21m and a depth of 17m, 3 floors high and almost square, made from monolithic blue stone slabs. The top floor has 5 tower blocks, the bell weighs 2 tons, is 1.9m high, and plays sounds up to 10km away. If you stand here, you can admire all the natural scenery around the Phat Diem stone church.
Heart of Mary Church (Stone Church)
What is more impressive to visitors when visiting the complex of Phat Diem stone church is the Heart of Mary Church, first built in 1883, with a length of 15.30 m, a width of 8.50 m, a height of 6m, and entirely made of stone. The inside of the church is carved with many beautiful stone reliefs, especially the carvings of quarters, apricots, chrysanthemums, and architecture, symbolizing the weather and the beauty of the year’s four seasons.
A few notes when exploring Phat Diem Stone Church
– Phat Diem stone church is a religious place, so when visiting and admiring the unique architecture, visitors should not be noisy, laugh and speak loudly.
– Because it is a sacred site, you should dress modestly and avoid wearing offensive or overly short dresses.
– The virtual living believers take photos of themselves checking in according to fine customs and traditions without affecting the image of the Phat Diem stone church.
– You should choose sneakers for easy sightseeing in this Catholic building complex.
– You can also bring a few items such as glasses, hats, and umbrellas, which both help protect the skin in the harsh sun and can become an accessory to “give birth” to thousands of beautiful shimmering photos.
It does stand out for its unique architecture, and the Phat Diem stone church is also an excellent “background” for the traveling festival.
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