Guide To the Temples and Pagodas of Vietnam: #6 Phat Diem Cathedral

You’ll find Phat Diem Cathedral in the Kim Son District of Ninh Binh Province, in the north of Vietnam. Architecturally this is a mixture of Vietnamese and European styles. Despite being a Catholic church it looks very much like a Buddhist temple with roofs that resemble a pagoda. Its location is pretty much picture perfect, standing by flooded rice paddies with trees sorrowing it and the bell tower standing proud alongside. It is of course in the town of Phat Diem which is 75 miles from Hanoi and a little under 20 miles from the city of Ninh Binh.

Phat Diem Cathedral was constructed by a priest called Father Tran Luc. He was also known as Pere Six by the French and Cu Sau by the Vietnamese. His tomb is in the front yard of the cathedral. There are beautiful wooden statues in the cathedral, these were carved by a famous Vietnamese artisan, called Pho Gia. During the troubled times of the wars, a division of the Vietnamese forces forced all Catholics to leave and the Cathedral was closed in 1954. After their deracination in South Vietnam, the Cathedral opened again and has been joined by many more churches in the district.

This magnificent stone Cathedral was built in 1892 and is both imposing and impressive. Standing on 15 acres of land it is 210 feet long and 60 feet wide, the nave stands 36 feet high and is supported by 52 pillars. These measure up to 36 feet in length and were carved from ironwood. The carving here is exquisite as are the portrait paintings; thirty of which represent European missionaries. The walls are covered in Catholic iconography but also European symbols such as unicorns, dragons, phoenixes and turtles.

When they wanted to transport the bells to the top of the bell tower, they build a huge ramp of earth to facilitate the move. Upon completion of the task the earth was simply spread around the complex. This raised the height of the gardens by 3 feet.

This is an unmissable attraction for anyone either interested in religious or architectural history. It is a quite remarkable building.

Previously Published:

1: Giac Lam Pagoda https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/the-stunning-giac-lam-pagoda

2: Vinh Nghiem Pagoda https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/saigon-attractions-vinh-nghiem-pagoda

3: The Ong Temple https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/guide-to-the-temples-and-pagodas-of-vietnam-3-the-ong-pagoda

4: The One Pillar Pagoda https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/guide-to-the-temples-and-pagodas-of-vietnam-4-the-one-pillar-pagoda

5: Thai Vi Temple https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/guide-to-the-temples-and-pagodas-of-vietnam-5-thai-vi-temple