Ancient stone church - impressive French architecture in Sapa

Sapa Church (a catholic church with a stone belltower) is considered the most attractive place for sightseeing in Sapa, Vietnam. Located in the center of the Sapa town, this old church was built in the 20th century by the French colonizers. It is also known as the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and has become a suitable location for traditional cultural practices of ethnic minority groups there.

Let’s find out how this ancient stone church can attract tourists coming to Sapa to admire its unique beauty and history.

History of Sapa Church

Following historical record, the church was built in 1902, and after 10 years of construction, in 1935 the structure was completed and formally put in use. Then many years later, because of the Japanese troops, the Church was closed and remained suspended in the period of war. After that, the church was used for storing rice and agricultural produce. Until 1995, local governors started to restore this historical witness for the first time and the parish began to come back here to practice their religious ritual.

Because of suffering from natural destruction, the Sapa Stone Church is restored more than 5 times. But, after many times of restoration and reparation, this Church still keeps its intact beauty as the day it was built.

Highlights of Sapa Church

Architecture

The Sapa Church is built by stones linked by the mixture of sand, molasses, and lime.  Inspired by the French architectural style, this church is the only remaining structure in Sapa which still preserves the soul and beauty of Catholic Architecture.

The best feature of Sapa Stone Church is the elegant cross-shaped bell tower towards the west – Christ‘s birthplace. The wall is made of sandstone that sparkles as stalactites forming a very striking natural attractiveness. The ceiling is made of a combination of iron, straw, lime and retains its original beauty as the day the church was built. The windows of this church are decorated with 32 colorful stained glasses that shine in sunlight depicting Jesus’s life.

Structure

The total area of this church is 6000m2 divided into many compartments such as the church area, the angel house, the parish house, the holy garden… The church site covers more than 500m2 and includes 7 sections with the 20m-high bell tower. Especially in the bell tower, there is a 500kg-weighed bell which is more than 80-year-olds but remains untouched by the time and damage.

The five-section parish house is equal to the church site. The angel house consists of three floors and one basement. The holy garden attracts tourists for 5 big trees which are more than one hundred years old. Four of these trees grow on rocks.

Sapa Church Beauty

Placed in the heart of Sapa – the city of mists, Sapa Stone Church is a location for traditional activities of local people. Every Saturday, tourists can witness the unique cultural practices which are called ‘Love market’. Together with it, there are spiritual activities of ethnic people occurring in this church forming such a holy and faithful atmosphere.

Besides, many quaint buildings are surrounding the Sapa Stone Church that brings more ancient beauty to the Church’s landscape making a very unique feature “castle in the sunset”. Visitors will be overwhelmed by the magical dim scenery with the dense veil of mist and the Stone Church looming in the mist.

Considered as the vestige of religion and architecture, Sapa Stone Church is the symbol of this misty town. Tourists can easily spot sight of this unique beautiful spot due to its signature and stunning appearance. The church is built by some greatest French architects and imprints the Roman Gothic Architecture. The most outstanding feature of this Cathedral is its main material – the white stone which creates a striking solid look for the church.

Visiting this famous church visitors will have a lot of opportunities to take some beautiful pictures with the stunning background of the Stone Church. Also, sightseeing at this tourist site can be the most enjoyable experience even for difficult tourists.

Source: vietnamdiscovery