Over hundreds of years of history, H’Bau Church is now only an old ruin covered with moss in the green of the great, though this is still a favorite destination for many tourists and local people. Phuong often comes here to offer flowers and pray.
Traveling to Gia Lai , visitors will not be able to ignore Chu Dang Ya volcano, a beautiful destination of a great country with a poetic and wild landscape of the Central Highlands. However, few people know that at Chu Dang Ya’s feet there is another interesting destination, with a special beauty and deep stories of a past time called H’Bau church. This is a spiritual destination of local parishioners for hundreds of years, although up to now it is only an ancient ruin.
The H’Bau Gia Lai Synagogue is the first Catholic church in the Central Highlands. Photo: Phuong La Son, Thai Quang Dung
H’Bau Cathedral: The oldest Catholic church in the Central Highlands
The Old H’Bau Church is located at the foot of Chu Dang Ya mountain and belongs to Xoa village, Chu Pah district, about 30km from the center of Pleiku city. Previously, people who wanted to reach the ancient church needed to go through two mountains, Chu Jor and Chu Nam.
However, now the move has become easier, from the top of Chu Dang Ya, you only need to move about 3km down the mountain through the path full of yellow wildflowers and Ngo Son fields, deep into the village. Disappointingly, you will find an ancient chapel, watching the silence amid the green colors of trees.
From Chu Dang Ya you need to move another 3km to reach the synagogue. Photo: @ tieuquan.d
According to local people, the H’Bau church has existed for more than 100 years. This ancient Catholic relic was built in 1909, on the front of the church there is still Han Ky Dau Nien inscription recording the year this church was built. To build this church, the parishioners in the area went wild and had to carry bricks to the mountain.
The work was built in 1909. Photo: Hoang Minh Hoang
Over 100 years of history, witnessing many changes and changes in the flow of time, the ravages of war, rain and sun, the H’Bau church today is not intact. The current church has only part of the bell tower and the front area. However, this place used to be the most prominent spiritual destination of the Central Highlands region and also the first church of the Pleiku missionary area (GP Kon Tum).
This work is more than 100 years old. Photo: Ethnicity and Development Newspaper
H’Bau ancient church: Beautiful relic forever before the flow of time
Currently H’Bau synagogue is not intact as it was in the beginning, however, it is the destruction of time that makes this place even more special. Visitors coming here will admire a beautiful picture, blending nature and people, see the wonderful creation of God in the remote and secluded regions.
Works in bold color time. Photo: Phuong La Son, Thai Quang Dung
The church campus is now only the front and a part of the bell tower, but all are still quite intact and solid, watching the ruins, visitors can imagine a beautiful cathedral in the midst of ancient old. The architecture of the mosque is a very unique combination of Gothic architecture typical of Catholic churches and Tay Nguyen stilt house architecture. This shows the great interference and blends with the indigenous culture of the project.
The ruins are still very beautiful among the immense flowers and leaves. Photo: Phuong La Son, Thai Quang Dung
Just below the bell tower, visitors can see a statue of Jesus on the cross, the image of God lying between the old and mossy ruins that many Catholics feel touched and proud of.
The statue of Jesus below the cathedral bell tower. Photo: Phuong La Son, Thai Quang Dung
Although the H’Bau chapel is old and time-colored, it does not make people feel deserted or lonely, but instead a sense of vitality is overwhelming. Around the church is adorned with the green color of trees, of the blooming flowers planted by the local people.
The flower color represents a new generation, having not witnessed the severity of the past but still regularly come here to visit God. The rupture present here seems to accentuate the space and faith imprinted in the mind of every layperson.
People still come to offer flowers and pray at this mosque. Photo: Phuong La Son, Thai Quang Dung
Currently, J’rai people here have a new, larger and more beautiful church, but H’Bau church is still a familiar spiritual destination where people offer flowers and pray every day.
The flower field in Chu Dang Ya is a destination near the church, do not miss it. Photo: @ ttb.tram
The mink grass hill located near the synagogue is also a hot check-in point. Photo: @ tt.thaongoc
Visit H’Bau synagogue, do not miss the beautiful reed hills, foxtail grass, a typical image of Gia Lai plateau, this is also an ideal virtual living spot for you to stop when checked-in Chu Dang Ya and the ancient synagogue.
Photo: Internet