Society

Admire the most unique church in Nghe An.

Huy Thu • December 5, 2024 08:11

After 7 years of construction, the Bot Da parish church in Da Son commune (Do Luong district) is preparing for its inauguration. This is an architectural masterpiece with a unique beauty in Nghe An province.

1 - Copy — Construction of the Bot Da parish church began in December 2017 and, after seven years of work, is now essentially complete. Seen from afar, the church stands majestically at the foot of Gia Mountain. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_2(2).jpg — The church is 80 meters long and 24 meters wide. The front of the church features a bell tower with three interconnected spires, reaching a height of 36 meters. The tiled roofs of the spires are designed in two tiers with soaring, curved eaves. Photo: Huy Thư

bna_3(2).jpg — The church's wooden frame is designed in a traditional style with 40 large columns divided into 4 rows. The two middle rows of columns are 12.5 meters high. Photo: Huy Thu

The circumference of the column is 2.15m, and its diameter is over 0.7m; it would take two people to encircle it. The church columns rest on large, beautifully carved stone pedestals. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_4..jpg — Mr. Nguyen Dinh The, Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Bot Da Parish, said that 1495 cubic meters of various types of wood such as ironwood, rosewood, sandalwood, and mahogany were used to build the church. The carpenters came from groups of workers from Thanh Chuong, Ha Tinh, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, and Thai Binh provinces... With such a massive amount of wood, Bot Da Parish Church is recognized as the largest wooden church in Nghe An province today. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_6(2).jpg — On the church's wooden frame, many wooden structures such as beam ends and girders are intricately carved and sculpted with images of nature, flowers, leaves, and geometric patterns. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_7(1).jpg — The space between the two roof levels, fitted with glass and decorated with stylized frames, creates an airy and aesthetically pleasing effect. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_8(1).jpg — The altar, sanctuary, and pulpit are all made of solid wood and intricately carved with characteristic images such as bunches of grapes and wheat... Photo: Huy Thu

bna_9(1).jpg — To reach the choir loft – the area reserved for the choir – there are two spiral wooden staircases on either side. Photo: Huy Thu

The church's roofs are covered with fired clay tiles. The rear of the church features a tall tower with soaring, curved tiled roofs, creating a harmonious balance for this large structure. During the seven years of construction, two priests, Father Joseph Hoang Thai Lan and Father Anton Nguyen Van Thanh, continued to oversee the church's construction. Photo: Huy Thu

The church has 17 doors, including one main door leading to the bell tower and 16 doors on either side. The lower part of the church is a spacious area designed into many rooms. Within the church grounds, other structures such as the gate and the statue of the Virgin Mary have also been built and renovated to a high standard. According to parish priest Anton Nguyen Van Thanh, the parish plans to inaugurate the church on January 9th, 2025 (Year of the Snake). Photo: Huy Thu

The interior beauty of Bot Da parish church. Video: Huy Thu

Huy Thu