Located on Nguyen Hue Street in the heart of Kon Tum Town, the cathedral is made of ca chit wood shaped by the dexterous hands of central carpenters.
Despite the multitude of changes that have impacted the highlands since its initial settlement, the structure remains a magnificent and distinguished architectural masterpiece that has survived the test of time.
In the early 20th century, when Kon Tum was still a desolate mountainous woodland that afforded limited access, French evangelists arrived and began to build a number of small-scale churches in several communes to carry out missionary work.
After several years, as the religion began to take a foothold, the chief priest Giuse Decrouille, who was in charge of the Kon Tum’s parish, ordered the construction of a wooden cathedral in 1913.
Complying with the rules of building Catholic churches which would implement aspects of the local culture, the Kon Tum wooden cathedral combined the stilt house structure of the Bana ethnic minority with Western architecture.
Inaugurated in 1918, all the decorated patterns and saint statues inside the giant church are made of durable wood.
Hundreds of rare and valuable wooden logs were also used as pillars for the cathedral.
On a normal day, the cathedral serves as a tranquil setting for churchgoers to pray or for students to find a retreat to do their homework.
In the back of the cathedral, there is a block of houses that include an orphanage and a workshop that produces the handicrafts of the Bana ethnic minority.
Coming to the cathedral on Christmas and New Year’s holidays, tourists will see thousands of parishioners of different sects camping out for a week-long festival which celebrates the year’s largest worship events.
A particular highlight of the festivities is a local fair offering handicraft products made by artisans from nearby villages.
Reported by Phan Huy Tram |
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