Phat Diem Cathedral

Situated about 28km from Ninh Binh City and belonging to Phat Diem Town (Kim Son District), Phat Diem Cathedral with exceptional architectural style is one of the most impressive spiritual sites in Vietnam and is considered the center for Catholicism in the northern area. Besides numerous ancient pagodas, temples, mystical caves, and beautiful natural scenery, this cathedral is the one that you should not miss when visiting Ninh Binh. On 18 January 1988, Phat Diem Cathedral was honorably recognized as a historical and cultural relic in Vietnam by the Ministry of Culture.

The name “Phat Diem” when translated into Vietnamese means “light up the beauty”. The main thing that makes the site different from other cathedrals in the country is its special materials used for the construction process including natural yin-yang stone, ironwood, and jade. Lying on an area of 117 meters wide and 243 meters long, Phat Diem Cathedral was ordered to build by priest Tran Luc and it took 24 years (from 1875 to 1899) to be completed. It is a complex consisting of bell towers, ponds, caves, cathedrals which are designed in the mixture style of European Gothic style and Buddhist temple architecture. The first thing that you will catch once setting foot on Phat Diem Cathedral is a 1-hectare square lake with a small island of Jesus Christ statue in the middle. Next, you will visit the attractive Phuong Dinh monument to read Jesus’ story on its walls before reaching the Cathedral comprising four small churches in different styles located within. Planning a trip to Phat Diem Cathedral, you will not only have a chance to contemplate the stunning architecture among amazing natural landscapes but also get more knowledge of the importance of religion in Vietnamese people’s daily life.

From Hanoi, you can choose to take a private car or ride a motorbike to visit Phat Diem Cathedral. With the Ninh Binh tour organized by Travel Authentic Asia, besides the cathedral, you can combine to visit other famous nearby sites in a day such as Hoa Lu ancient capital, Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Cuc Phuong National Park, Bai Dinh Temple.

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