Sa Pa stone church is one of the most attractive destinations in Sapa, known as the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Located at the center of Sa Pa town, the front is a large and fairly flat land, behind faces Ham Rong Mountain, the church is a symbol of the French architecture in the early 20th century.
1. The architecture features
1.1. General location and history
Under the rule of the French, Sapa Church is an important church to hold many cultural activities. So, choosing the right place to build the church is very important. The ancient Sa Pa stone church faces the sunrise – east to welcome the light of God. At the end of the church is the bell tower towards the west – the birthplace of Christ. Now, the church is the place to take place many cultural activities, meetings and festivals of Sapa Town. The local government has also renewed the church many times for serving locals and tourists.
Its structure is according to the Roman Gotic and built with materials including roofs, arches and bell towers… to make it elegant. The entire church is built of stone and linked together by a mixture of limestone, sand and molasses. The wall of the right side of the crucifix is made of sandstone that resembles stalactites as a relic bearing a very natural beauty.
1.2. Symbol of architecture and more
The whole church is mainly built of stone but some walls, floors, towers and bells are built of a mixture of stone with lime sand and molasses. With a total area of more than 6000 square meters, Sapa ancient stone church is fully equipped with rooms for many functions.
Inside the church, you will be overwhelmed by European architecture. You can see the Gothic La architectural style everywhere in Sapa Church even in the smallest details. The appearance and architecture here are in the shape of a cross in the ancient Gothic style of Rome.
1.3. The unique dome
The roof is covered with red tiles and is clad in a triangular shape. Two edges of the roof are decorated with straight and simple shapes. The ceilings are made of straw so they had been renewed for generations. However, the steeple part is a combination of lime, straw and iron that has remained intact over time and has not been repaired.
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1.4. The color and other details
The main color of the church is white to highlight the luxury and create a more spacious and airy feeling. The two sides of the wall are covered with wood for easier cleaning. In addition, the upper doors are designed with a small semicircle size, using colorful glass pieces to decorate.
1.5. The impressive grounds
The total area of the grounds is up to 6000 square meters, divided into many different function areas: the church area, the monk’s living ground, the livestock ground, the celestial house, the front yard, the fence and the Holy Garden.
Each ground is built and decorated with many special details and other styles, such as the Holy Garden with 2 tombs with 5 ancient “Khao Vang” trees, 4 trees grow on the rocks and the front yard – where are taken place the cultural and religious activities, cultural exchange and souvenir trading… is large and not be decorated too much.
The church area has 7 rooms with a total area of 500 square meters. There is a 20 – meter – high bell tower and another tower inside the church having a height of 1.5 meters and a weight of 500 kilograms. With its weight, you can be heard its ring within a radius of 1km.
2. Some interesting activities
2.1. Find out the perfect space to “check-in”
With the beautiful design of the church, you can take many photos but to get the most beautiful photos, you have to find the best background. Lily’s Travel advise some background such as the panoramic view of the church, panoramic church with Sapa square, the stairs connecting Sapa Church with Sapa Square and especial the sparkling church in the evening.
2.2. Explore the market: “Cho Tinh”- Love market
The unique market is the inhabitation and custom of ethnic monitories. The market usually takes place every Saturday night, remember to arrange your time to explore this market.
2.3. Some cultural activities
At the “Cho Tinh”- Love Market, locals and the neighboring ethnic group also are together to dance and play traditional musical instruments, contributing to the bustling atmosphere.
2.4. Try some local foods
Don’t forget to enjoy Sapa specialties such as delicious fresh salmon hotpot, armpit pork, fried stream fish… You can choose a famous restaurant to try or a small restaurant on the roadside. Especially, if you come to Sapa in the autumn or winter, can have time to enjoy the traditional food. Many tourists said that the weather of Sapa in the winter seemed to make food delicious and unforgettable.
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3. Review Sapa Church in 4 seasons
Many tourists wonder about the best time to come to Sapa and visit this ancient church. In Lily’s Travel’s opinion, every season will be the most beautiful season of the year if you can be in time.
For example, in spring when the trees budding, the cherry blossom-colored roads are in full bloom. You can hear the sound of forest birds singing after a season they almost sleep. Many people called, it is the moment of a bountiful harvest and you can feel the atmosphere of the Tet reunion. All of these things make people feel loved and strangely joyful.
In Spring, many tourists come to Sapa to feel the atmosphere making people extremely comfortable and refreshing. It feels like you are arriving at the gate of heaven to breathe a comfortable, relaxed and enthusiastic air. Also during the season, many festivals of locals happen and you can also explore spring market nights and make your own new experiences.
But the favorite of Lily’s Travel is the ancient church in the summer when the roads lead you to the ripe rice fields, drunk in the fragrant kitchen smoke and the sweet scent of Mother Earth. Summer here reminds people of the hometown kitchen for the mother’s shadow to sit and wait. Lead us to childhood heaven with the sweetest and most loving memories. Sapa ancient church in summer brings a gentle and delicate beauty. Sometimes the silence at dusk makes my heart feel peaceful as if there is some one’s back to lean on.
In autumn, Sapa’s ancient church has a beautiful and gentle beauty. This season, tourists often like to choose because the atmosphere is extremely pleasant and peaceful. There is no season that can be more beautiful than autumn.
In winter, the church sleeps peacefully under the clouds. From time to time, cold snows cover the entire church to make it cold outside but extremely warm inside. Everyone who walks in will feel a strange warmth and peace.
Reviewing Sapa ancient church is the first choice in a series of articles referring to the discovery journey and Sapa travel experience of the girl who has just reached her twenties. Hopefully, somewhere you will find yourself and a little vibration for this small land. Read more of my articles here to get ready for your conquest journey.
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