The main church in Phat Diem Stone Church complex in Ninh Binh ProvinceIt was many years since I had visited Phat Diem Stone Chathedral on my first trip to Ninh Binh Province and I was relishing another chance to see the delightful architecture.

Phat Diem Stone  Cathedral complex was built from 1875 to 1899 with stone walls, thus it is also known as ‘Stone Church’. On both sides of the church are four smaller churches of different styles.

The cathedral is a fascinating complex comprising of a lake, atrium, cathedral, four chapels, stone church, man-made cave and covering 22 hectares, located in Phat Diem Town, Kim Son District in southeastern Ninh Binh, more than 100 kilometers south of Hanoi.

The church was designed by Father Peter Tran Luc whose tomb is located behind Phuong Dinh Tower, in front of Trai Tim Duc Me (Ave Maria’s Heart) Church.

The design of Phat Diem complex harmoniously combines the traditional pagoda architecture of Vietnam with the Gothic Christian architecture, making Phat Diem Stone Cathedral a symbol of East-West cultural exchange.

The first impression on guests must be a large lake right at the gate, and then they will see the Phuong Dinh bell house which is 24 meters long, 17 meters wide and 25 meter high. Three floors of the house are made of giant rocks, of which some weigh dozens of tons. Walking over Phuong Dinh, travelers will see the big church which is 74 meters long, 21 meters wide and 15 meters high. The church is solid due to its wooden pillar system.

Source: SGT