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The unique
churches of Da Lat
Besides
offering a cool mountainous respite from Vietnam’s sweltering
lowlands, Da Lat is home to two breathtaking religious
structures known for the tranquility they offer.
As visitors reach the top of Prenn
Pass, the gateway to Da Lat, they can see a high bell tower in
the distance.
This is the bell tower of Nha Tho
Chanh Toa Da Lat, known in English as the Da Lat Cathedral.
However, the church is commonly
referred to as Nha Tho Con Ga because on the top of the tower
was placed a bronze rooster (con ga) weathervane measuring 66 cm
long and 58 cm tall.
Historical documents show that a
small chancel was built on this site by the French in 1920 and
upon it was etched, Hic Domus est Dei, which means “This
is the House of Christ.”
Two years later a cathedral
measuring 26 meters long and eight meters wide, with a 16-meter
high bell tower, was built.
On July 19, 1931 work began on the
church that stands today and was completed on January 25, 1942.
This church became the largest
cathedral in the region, measuring 65 meters long, 14 meters
wide, and boasting a 47-meter high bell tower.
The cathedral was used mostly by
the French and other Europeans living in Da Lat.
The cathedral was built in the
European Gothic architectural style.
The main doors of the cathedral
face Langbian, the highest mountain in Da Lat.
There are 70 French-made stained
glass windows that make the interior dazzlingly colorful as the
sunlight shines through.
Da Lat Cathedral not only attracts
churchgoers, but also domestic and foreign tourists.
Daily services start at 5:15 a.m.
and 5:15 p.m. on week-days.
On Sundays, there are services at
5:15 a.m., 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Domaine de Marie
Built in 1938 on a high hill that
offers a panoramic view of Da Lat, approximately eight
kilometers northwest of the city, Domaine de Marie is a church
used by catholic nuns of the Missionary of Charity sect in Da
Lat.
The church was built in a 17th
century European architectural style using domestic limestone.
Domaine de Marie has no bell tower
and its façade is characterized by sharp triangular features.
The interior of the main hall is
adorned with ornamental designs.
The most prominent feature of the
church is a three-meter high statue of the Virgin Mary standing
on a globe, which weighs approximately one ton.
The statue was donated by Suzanne
Humbert, the wife of Jean Decoux, French general-governor of
Indochina from 1940 to 1945.
Mrs. Humbert used to
worship at Domaine de Marie and made generous donations to make
upgrades and renovations to the church.
In 1944 she passed away in a car
accident on Prenn Pass while on her way back to Da Lat to
reconcile a dispute between Queen Nam Phuong and Mong Diep, a
beloved concubine of Bao Dai, the last monarch in Vietnam.
Mrs. Humbert was buried in
an area behind Domaine de Marie in accordance with her will.
In spring, the exterior of Domaine
de Marie is accentuated by the numerous blossoms of the cherry
trees planted around the church and along the road leading up to
it.
Daily service at the church starts
at 5:15 p.m. on weekdays and at 6 a.m. and 4:15
p.m. on Sundays.
Reported by Nhat Hung
- Source: thanhniennews[dot]com |
