Discover the Ancient Beauty of Phat Diem Stone Cathedral - A Masterpiece of Vietnamese Architecture

Explore the ancient beauty of Phat Diem Stone Cathedral, a masterpiece of Vietnamese architecture with a unique blend of Eastern and Western styles. This is a must-visit destination in Ninh Binh. Hãy nghe Trần Thuỳ Thanh Xuân (Đồng Nai) một travel blogger nổi tiếng bật mí .

1. Introduction to Phat Diem stone church

Phat Diem Stone Cathedral was built in 1875 and completed in 30 years. The church building is made entirely of stone and precious ironwood. By 1988, the stone church was ranked as a national historical and cultural relic by our country's Ministry of Culture. This place is not only the largest Catholic living place in the country but also a place to visit and discover for many tourists coming to Ninh Binh.

This church is considered the most beautiful Catholic church complex in Vietnam. Through many ups and downs of history, the church still endures with its ancient, delicate beauty, captivating people. With a design typical of Eastern architectural art, the stone church increasingly attracts many domestic and foreign tourists.

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2. How was Phat Diem Stone Cathedral built?

Phat Diem Stone Cathedral was built by priest Peter Tran Luc, also known as Mr. Sau. Since 1865, he has been the main priest of Phat Diem parish. Mr. Sau spent 34 years educating parishioners on moral life and building the Phat Diem church complex. In 1975, construction of the church began.

The land of Phat Diem in the past was built up by alluvium, so the soil was weak. Therefore, to create a solid foundation for the church, Mr. Sau had to have workers hammer down millions of bamboo poles and thousands of blocks of rock and soil. Thousands of tons of stone and large ironwood columns were transported from Thanh Hoa and Nghe An regions hundreds of kilometers away to Phat Diem to build the project. By 1891, the church was basically completed.

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3. How far is Phat Diem Stone Cathedral from Trang An?

Phat Diem Stone Cathedral is located on a land area of ​​about 117m wide, 243m long, right in the center of Phat Diem town, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh. This attraction is 28km south of Ninh Binh city, 30km from Trang An and about 120km from Hanoi.

You can travel from Trang An to the church by motorbike, car or bus depending on your needs. If you choose to ride a motorbike, you just need to follow Highway 10, cross Tri Chinh bridge and go southwest for another 800m. When you get to Phat Diem Tile Bridge, turn right and go another 300m to see the church area.

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4. Ideal time to go to Phat Diem stone church

You can visit Phat Diem Stone Cathedral at any time of the year, depending on your travel plans. If you want to combine the house tour with other locations in Ninh Binh, you should go in January. At this time, it is quite cold but rarely rains, convenient for moving, sightseeing, and taking photos. Moreover, January in Ninh Binh is usually very quiet and peaceful, suitable for those who love the feeling of quiet and gentleness.

However, the best time to go to church is Christmas. On this occasion, you will be immersed in interesting activities of the church. In addition, you can also enjoy the splendid and magnificent beauty with brightly colored lights. This will definitely be a great space to bring you sparkling beautiful photos.

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5. What's interesting about Phat Diem Stone Cathedral?

Phat Diem Stone Cathedral attracts tourists with its unique architecture, harmoniously combining Eastern and Western styles. The complex includes 5 churches, bell towers, ponds and 3 artificial caves. Coming here, you can visit Phuong Dinh monument, Ro Co Bible Church, Cathedral, Jesus Bible Chapel, Heart of God Prayer Church, unique artificial cave,...

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This place is a Catholic complex but is modeled after traditional Vietnamese pagoda architecture. The bold Asian design is expressed from the curved tiled roof shaped like a boat's nose, the saint sitting on a lotus pedestal to the intricately carved details. In addition, in the church there are many typical Vietnamese images such as pine trees, chrysanthemums, bamboos, apricot blossoms or lotus flowers.

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Prominent in the central area is the large church. This work was built first in the cluster of monuments, made entirely of stone, called the Heart of Mary. The church has 4 roofs and 5 entrances that are extremely delicately carved. This is definitely the ideal place for teams who love "virtual living". Any corner of the church will bring you "super quality" photos.

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The intersection of East-West architecture combined with bold Vietnamese design has created an ancient, unique, massive building, attracting tourists from all over to visit. If you have the opportunity to come to Ninh Binh, don't forget to go to Phat Diem stone church to explore and check-in. And please continue to follow Halo Travel for more interesting places to visit.

Trần Thuỳ Thanh Xuân (Đồng Nai)