Nam Dinh Highlights
Phu Nhai Church – The Basilica in Vietnam
Feb
In addition to its beauty of French Gothic architecture, Phu Nhai church is also known as the largest church in Indochina as well as one of the four “basilicas” in Nam Dinh and Vietnam. Setting feet on Phu Nhai Church, you will be totally amazed at the splendid beauty of the basilica.
History of the Phu Nhai Church
The church was originally made of wood in the style of Spain Gothic architecture under King Tu Duc’s reign by the priest, Emmanuel Río Hoa in 1866. The church was also restored 3 times to be a larger and nicer one by 1923. Unluckily, the storm of September 30th 1929 destroyed Phu Nhai church. Undergoing lots of above historical events, the church was rebuilt to become magnificent & grandiose as well as bears the French-style Gothic architecture you can see today.
The Architecture of the Phu Nhai Church
Explore Phu Nhai Church, you will be amazed at the Gothic architecture and its decoration. You can admire the statues floating on the door and rows of Chinese characters on the side of the church, which create distinctive features of the church. From a distance, you can have a glimpse of the main roofs and small groups, making the church more grandeur and ancient. Especially, in front of Phu Nhai church are two 44m-high bell towers with 4 bells transferred from France, two of which are only used in the big feasts.
The dome inside the church is designed following Western architecture. The sunshine of the early morning passed through the glass panels, helping the illuminated holy space become more gorgeous.
Phu Nhai Church is not only a religious construction, tourist attraction but also a research project attracting architects and cultural researchers.
