In nearly 6,000 churches across the country, Vietnam has 4 rare churches recognized by the Pope himself as the basilica of the localities: Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Tri, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam. What is so special about these churches called basilica?
Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral is the first basilica in Vietnam
The basilica is a special honorary title that the Pope gives to a number of churches or holy places in Rome or around the world , in terms of its ancient character, historical importance and spiritual significance. . In Vietnam, there are 4 churches possessing this noble title, including the Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon , the La Vang church, the Phu Nhai church and the Ke So church.
Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon
Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral is a familiar destination for Ho Chi Minh City people and tourists across the country. As one of the symbolic works of the city but few people know, this is the first basilica in Vietnam was ordained in 1959.The work was designed by French architect Jules Burrard and launched in 1880.
The church was built in a Roman-style mixed with Gothic architecture, including cathedrals, bell towers and parks. outside.The highlight of the church is the brick wall originating from Marseille (France) from the late 19th century. In front of the dome of the church is a Swiss clock over 140 years that still works correctly.
The bell tower is considered the soul of the church. In 1895, there were 6 bells with 6 sounds (map, rê, mi, son, la, si). In which, the bell weighing nearly 8.8 tons is one of the largest bells in the world.Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral is not only an artistic architectural work but also a witness of history, witnessing the change of Ho Chi Minh City over the past century.
La Vang Church
 La Vang Church was taken in 1967, before being devastated |
La Vang Church is located in Hai Phu commune, Hai Lang district, Quang Tri province. In 1961, it was personally named Pope John XXIII as the basilica through the Decree Magnonos. Initially, this was a tile church, designed in ancient Vietnamese architecture, but the facade still has a modern European breath with two roof floors and two wings of the cross.
After many changes with many times of restoration and new construction, the church still retains the beauty of traditional Vietnamese architecture through the shape of familiar tile roofs, the style of Vietnamese houses and communal houses. In particular, La Vang Church owns 15 statues representing 15 miracles, including 5 joys, 5 compassion and 5 joys according to the Catholic concept. This is a destination not to be missed when coming to Quang Tri.
 La Vang basilica was rebuilt to bring the beauty of Vietnamese ancient architecture.PHOTO: WIKI |
Phu Nhai Church
 Phu Nhai is one of the largest churches in VietnamPHOTO: WIKI |
Dubbed the largest church in Indochina, Phu Nhai Church has an area of nearly 2160 square meters.Built-in 1886 with originally built of wood, the original church has a Gothic style bold Spanish imprint. Later, the Phu Nhai church was rebuilt in the French Gothic architectural style.
The highlight of this project is two 44-meter high bell towers with 4 bells cast from France transported with a total weight of nearly 4 tons. Around the church, there are reliefs representing the 14 Way of the Cross.The church has a height of 44m. Therefore, when standing on the high tower of Phu Nhai church, visitors will admire the panoramic beauty of H. Xuan Truong, Nam Dinh.
Ke So Church
 Ke So Church stands out with the East-West cultural combination , photo: WIKI |
This basilica was ordained in 2010 located in Kien Khe town, Thanh Liem district, Ha Nam. So far, So Kien is the only project in Vietnam whose campus is planned and built in the style of the Italian duomo church complex.The architecture of the church stands out with a combination of Eastern-Western cultural characteristics.
The church has stained-glass windows depicting saints or events in the Bible with bold Western culture. However, the area of the sanctuary and the altar is made of sophisticated carved wood, painted with golden lipstick in the traditional Vietnamese style. Due to the construction of a lagoon, the entire foundation of the church is lined with ironwood to limit subsidence. The church bell tower has 4 large bells with 4 tones (puzzle, mi, sol, map), with a weight from 318 kg to 2461 kg.
Thanh Nien