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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Jul 7, 2023
By Ms. Anh Thư
The Phat Diem Stone Church Ninh Binh is one of Vietnam's most well-known and stunning churches. Its distinctive architecture is an elegant combination of Western church architecture and Vietnamese temples. The locals needed up to 10 years to complete the preparation phase, which mainly involved extracting materials from limestone mountains. With its beauty, Phat Diem Stone Cathedral is a famous tourist destination in North Vietnam tours. Let’s learn more about this special stone church with Vietnam Escape Tours!
Located in the province of Ninh Binh's Kim Son district. It is 120 kilometers to the south of Ha Noi. It was first built in 1875 and was finished in 1898. As its name suggests, it was entirely constructed out of wood and stone which are common in Ninh Binh's mountainous region. The locals took as long as 10 years to complete the preparation phase, which mainly involved extracting materials from limestone mountains and this church was constructed over a period of 24 years.
To be more specific, Phat Diem Cathedral was built by the priest Father Trần Lục (Père Six in French, or cụ Sáu in Vietnamese). The grave of Père Six is located in the cathedral's front yard. All of the wooden statues in the cathedral were carved by a Vietnamese artist named Pho Gia. The cathedral was described as "more Buddhist than Christian" by author Graham Greene in his book The Quiet American. That is why Phat Diem Cathedral is also called Phat Diem Stone Church Ninh Binh.
The cathedral is still in use as a place of worship after the 1954 Geneva Conference. The convents, two of the schools, and the entirety of the cathedral's west wall collapsed as a result of a bombing in 1972. However, now after being restored, there is not even a trace of this destruction left.
When you go sightseeing at Phat Diem Stone Cathedral, you will first see a square lake that is 1 hectare wide. Generally, the lake resembles other ones situated in temples or churches in Vietnam. In the middle of the lake, there is a small island with the statue of Jesus Christ.
Phuong Dinh in Vietnamese means square house. There is a small island with a statue of Jesus Christ in the middle of the lake. The next monument is Phuong Dinh, which features magnificent stone carvings on both sides of the walls and becomes a striking monument. It is 24 meters long, 17 meters wide, and 25 meters high.
The story of Jesus is depicted in bas-reliefs on the walls of Phuong Dinh. Despite being surrounded by large cubic stones, the skillfully carved motifs give visitors a gentle feeling.
As you leave Phuong Dinh, you will pass by a magnificent cathedral that took 3 months to build in 1891. The cathedral has four roofs and measures 74 meters long by 21 meters wide. Six rows of ironwood were used to build it. Four tiny churches in various styles can be found inside the stone cathedral.
A stone church with the formed name "Nha Tho Trai tim Vo Nhiem Nguyen Toi Duc Me" is located next to the large cathedral. But nowadays, it's usually referred to as the "Stone church". since stone is used to construct walls, columns, foundations, and pubs to tie beams. Chrysanthemums, bamboo, fir trees, and apricot trees, which represent the four seasons each year, are carved in intricate relief throughout the interior of the church.
Which dishes are delicious in Kim Son Ninh Binh for Ninh Binh Tours? Traveling through Ninh Binh without trying its specialties is considered not visiting the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. When traveling to Phat Diem Church in Kim Son Ninh Binh, visitors will be able to eat the good dishes below.
Address: Trang An village, Truong Yen district commune, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh
To enjoy the famous mountain goat specialties of Ninh Binh, come to Ba Cua restaurant. Ba Cua is famous for its goat meat dishes which are processed according to its own secret, creating delicious dishes such as grilled goat, and rice husk goat eaten with Ninh Binh specialty burnt rice.
Address: No. 70 Nguyen Cong Tru, Ninh Binh
Toong Quan grilled hot pot is a familiar gathering place for young people in Ninh Binh. The shop owns a spacious two-story space with a prominent facade, so it is easy to find. Toong Restaurant serves a buffet at a reasonable price.
Address: 16 Pham Hong Thai, Thanh Binh, Ninh Binh
Speaking of bun cha, people often think of bun cha in Ha Thanh, but if you have had the opportunity to enjoy Ninh Binh fan bun cha, especially at Tinh Mai Bun Cha, you will definitely not be able to forget the delicious taste. This.
Address: 995 Tran Hung Dao, Thanh Binh, Ninh Binh
Referring to the famous Ninh Binh restaurant, we must mention Ba Phan eel vermicelli. This eel vermicelli restaurant has been open for decades, the number 1 famous delicious food in Ninh Binh. The restaurant not only attracts tourists but also is loved by locals.
Phat Diem Church is open to visitors throughout the entire year in accordance with Ninh Binh's travel plans. However, Christmas is probably the best time to visit Phat Diem Church because this is parishioners' primary communal activity. On Christmas Eve, there will be a lot of significant events. Particularly ornately prepared and decorated, leaving guests in awe of the cathedral's magnificent beauty
From Hanoi:
- Travel with Car/Taxi 2 hours ~ 120km
- By bus/motorbike for more than 2 hours
- By train (Hanoi – Ninh Binh) then from Ninh Binh you can go here by taxi or motorbike to Phat Diem Church at night.
Travel agencies in Vietnam can help you prepare all the necessary items you want to take a tour to Ninh Binh, Vietnam while you have no prior experience planning a trip to North Vietnam. Then, all that's left to do is pack your bags and enjoy the trip.
• It’s good for Family tours, Couples, and solo
• the best time to visit is from September to April
• Wear appropriate clothing when visiting here because it is a sacred place.
• Do not leave trash outside the trash can.
• Keep quiet as you enter the cathedral.
