VietNamNet Bridge – The Sa Pa Rock Church was built in 1895 and it is the most ancient architectural work of the French left in Sa Pa, Lao Cai.

Sa Pa Cathedral is located in a prime location, shielded by Ham Rong Mountain on the back, facing a large, flat area, which is the home to colorful festivals of the mountain town.

The cathedral is in the center of Sapa town, so it can be observed from the four sides, along with two other buildings built by the French – Chu Cau mansion (now the Hoang Lien Hotel) and the former district office (now the headquarters of the Lao Cai Tourist Information Center), forming a triangle with French distinct architecture style.

The shape and architecture of the church was built in the cross, in Roman Gothic architecture, which reflects through the roof, the bell tower, and the arches...

The colored glass windows depicting the life of Jesus.

The church includes seven spacious rooms of more than 500 m2, with the 20 m bell tower and a bell of 1.5 meters high, cast in 1932, weighing 500 kg and the resonation within a radius of nearly one kilometer.

With a total area of more than 6,000 m2, Sa Pa church has enough room for all functional spaces.

Choosing the direction of the church has important spiritual significance for Catholics. The church faces the east, towards the rising sun to welcome the light of the God. At the end of the church (the bell tower) is the west, the birthplace of Christ.

The whole church is built of hewn stone (walls, floors, bell tower, the church yard, surrounding embankments), which are connected by a mixture of sand, lime and molasses.

In May 2006, Sa Pa parish officially had a formal and permanent pastor after nearly 60 years without any priest. The cathedral has been embellished and preserved to become an indispensable part when it comes to misty Sa Pa town.

VNE