Old Stone Church: European architecture in Sapa mountain town

The Old Stone Church is in the middle of Sapa town. It is also called the stone church or the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary.

In the early 20th century, French architects planned and built this Church.

This work is one of the few things the French left behind that is still there today in Sapa, a tourist destination.

With more than a hundred years of existence and years, the ancient mossy appearance of the stone church has long become a prominent image of Sapa town.

Visitors have been deeply moved by the sight of the stone church rising out of the mist.

How do you get to Sapa Stone Church?

The Sapa ancient stone church is near the town square. To get there, take Ngu Chi Son or Vien Xuan streets around Sapa lake and then turn onto Thach Son street, which connects Ham Rong.

The Church is in a great spot, with the back of Ham Rong mountain shielding it. In front of the Church is a large, open area where the colorful festivals of the mountain town take place.

Those visiting here will be able to see Sapa’s unique “heritage triangle,” which includes the Chu Cau villa (now the Hoang Lien hotel) and the old district party committee (now the campus of the Tourism Information Center of  Lao Cai)

The French made all of the above unique works of architecture to make a triangle with three equal sides. Each side has its French-style architecture.

History of the Sapa stone church and its architecture

The story of the stone church in Sapa

Sapa church was built starting in 1926, and it was officially opened in 1935. Mostly foreign engineers planned and started building the project.

Sapa Church has also gone through a lot of changes over time. It was initially built to serve Christians.

But in the following years, the Church’s religious activities stopped when the Japanese army was there. Because of the damage caused by the war, the Church had to be broken up and left alone.

In the years after the war, people were constantly forced to leave. The parish had nowhere to live, and the Church and the rectory were shut down.

Since then, the Church is now a warehouse for food, and a rectory is a place where people can learn.

The provincial government fixed the Church for the first time in 1995, and the parish returned to doing everyday things.

At the same time, the two sects of Hau Thao and Lao Chai were founded in 1920 and followed the religion of the Mong ethnic group. They were also brought back to life and began living again.

But only on solemn occasions of the year do the priests come to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments to serve the community.

After almost 60 years without a parish priest, Sapa parish got a pastor and a full-time priest in May 2006. The Church has been fixed up and kept in good shape. It has become a symbol of the misty town of Sapa.

Even though Western culture has significantly impacted the Sapa stone church, it still has some standard features of local people in Sapa.

The architecture of the stone church in Sapa 

Before laying the first brick of this project’s foundation, the French architects carefully chose the building site.

The face of the old stone church in Sapa is to the east, where the sun rises. This position of the Church has a very religious meaning: to accept the light and sound energy that God gives.

The end of the Church is to the West, where General Kito was born and grew up.

With a campus area of more than 6,000 m2, Sa Pa church has plenty of space, including the church area, the parish building, the monk’s house, the livestock house, the angel house, the outside courtyard, the corridor, and the Holy Garden.

The church campus is more than 500m2 wide, including seven compartments with a 20m high bell tower. In particular, a bell in the bell tower weighs 500 kilograms and is more than 80 years old but still preserved.

When tourists enter the Stone Church, they will be amazed by the European-style architecture. Every little detail of the Roman Gothic style of architecture is there.

The roof of the building is red and tiled in the shape of a triangle. The two straight edges are outside, with 32 stained-glass windows showing different parts of God’s life.

The whole Sapa Stone Church is made of natural stone, and clay, lime, and molasses are used to hold it all together.

The space inside the Church is painted white, which adds to its elegance and makes it feel more extensive and open.

The two sides have been paved with wood. The upper part has many large stained glass panels in the style of Europe and small doorways that form an arc.

Some famous hotels near the Ancient Stone Church

Here are a few hotels near the Sapa Stone Church where people can stay if they visit this tourist spot.

MGallery by Sofitel Hôtel de la Coupole

French 5-star hotel chain Hotel de la Coupole MGallery is at the top of the hotel business.

Hotel de la Coupole MGallery has the perfect color scheme, mixing 19th-century decor and French-style furniture.

This hotel is perfect for business travelers, vacationing families, romantic getaways, and other special occasions, thanks to its nearly 250 plush rooms, restaurants, bars, and spa services.

Address: 1 Hoang Lien Street, Sapa 

Phone: 025 7777 7777

BB Hotel Spa

The BB hotel has all the basic amenities and is where visitors to Sapa should stay. It has a front desk open 24 hours a day, room service, and a concierge service.

The BB Hotel Sapa also has a gym, a morning service, and a large parking lot to make it easy for tourists who come by car to get around.

The Sapa stone church is only a few steps away from this hotel, so it’s an excellent place for tourists to stay while they visit the Church.

Address: 8 Cau May Lane, TT. Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai. 

Phone: 0943 333 333.

Sapa Sunrise Hotel

This hotel is a reasonably big motel with services at very reasonable prices for anyone who has been to Sapa without knowing where it is.

This hotel has all the essential services visitors need, and it is in a good spot because it is only a few minutes walk to the Sapa stone church.

Address: 8 Hoang Dieu, TT. Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai 

Phone number: 098 247 9999

Things to Do in Sapa Stone Church

When visitors go to Sapa Stone Church, they can take pictures with their friends to remember the trip, but they can also do many other cool things.

For a long time, the Sapa stone church has been where the different ethnic groups in this area have done unique cultural things.

With a location right in the middle of Sapa town, where visitors can see traditional “Love Markets” with ethnic minorities and buy a wide range of unique souvenirs.

On Saturday nights, many ethnic people attend the “Love Market” sessions in the courtyard before Sapa Church. This market is where indigenous people can participate in traditional games and sing or dance.